SDCC 2024: Marvel hits reset with Robert Downey Jr., Fantastic Four

It was a big weekend for Marvel Studios.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige returned to San Diego Comic-Con’s hallowed Hall H on Saturday to hype the studio’s upcoming projects armed with exclusive footage, surprises and more. (Just a couple days earlier, the same hall in the Anaheim Convention Center was the site of revelry celebrating “Deadpool & Wolverine.”)

The presentation highlighted upcoming releases including “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” “Fantastic Four” and a couple of “Avengers” films.

Marvel’s biggest surprise was the reveal that Robert Downey Jr. will be making his return to the MCU as Doctor Doom in the next “Avengers” film. After helping kick off the franchise in 2008’s “Iron Man,” Downey portrayed the billionaire playboy Tony Stark, one of the leaders of the Avengers, in more than nine films over the course of his 11-year tenure. He last appeared in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” in which Stark died to save the universe.

But “Avengers 5” marks not only the return of Downey — it also sees Anthony and Joe Russo back in the Marvel fold. The Russo Brothers have previously helmed four MCU films: “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014), “Captain America: Civil War” (2016), “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) and “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). It’s almost as if Marvel Studios is hitting a bit of a reset after a rocky few years.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Marvel’s presentation.

Marvel is forging its future by mining its past

By bringing Downey and the Russos back into the fold, Marvel Studios is signaling that it sees its path forward in the halcyon days of its past. The Russos helmed two of the MCU’s biggest box office hits — “Avengers: Endgame” has grossed more than $2.7 billion worldwide in its lifetime — and Downey was the face of the franchise for more than a decade.

It’s no secret that Marvel has struggled to find its footing since “Endgame.” Both Phases Four and Five have been lackluster, with some onlookers dubbing it Marvel’s “flop era” after a few underwhelming releases. To break out of the slump, the MCU is changing course.

The audience response to “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which opened to $205 million at the domestic box office and more than $438 million worldwide, signals that this could be a winning strategy, at least in the short term. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) before it, wielded nostalgia as a superpower and was packed to the brim with cameos and callbacks to superhero comic book movies past.

Kang, dynasty no more

“Avengers 5,” previously known as “Avengers: Kang Dynasty,” has officially been renamed to “Avengers: Doomsday.” It is expected to hit theaters in 2026.

There had been questions about how the film would move forward after Marvel fired Jonathan Majors last year following his conviction on assault and harassment charges. Would the role be recast or the entire film (and MCU trajectory) be overhauled?

The new title indicates that the MCU is shifting its focus to a new big bad: Doctor Doom. In the comics, Victor von Doom is an evil genius best known for his clashes with the Fantastic Four, but he’s also faced off against the Avengers and the X-Men in his quests to take over the world.

The MCU is leaving Kang in its rearview mirror, at least for now.

Focus on the First Family

Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach were on hand in Hall H to tease their upcoming movie, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” slated for a 2025 release. The film, which officially begins production this week, will be set in 1960s New York, though its exact place in the Marvel multiverse remains unknown.

It was also confirmed that Marvel comics’ first ever superhero team will be seen in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” meaning the MCU is going all in on the Fantastic Four now that they’ve regained the film rights to the characters. Considering the official Avengers roster for the upcoming films remains a mystery, building excitement around the team that will launch the MCU’s Phase Six makes sense.

Silence speaks volumes?

One of the glaring omissions in Feige’s presentation was “Blade,” which was part of a big Marvel Studios surprise in a past Hall H presentation. The film, which will star Mahershala Ali as the eponymous daywalker, at one point was attached to a 2025 release date but has experienced some creative shake-ups since. Yann Demange, the second director attached to the project, departed the film last month.

Also absent in the presentation were Marvel’s upcoming television shows such as “Agatha All Along,” “Daredevil: Born Again” and “Iron Heart.” Perhaps Feige is saving some news for Disney’s own convention, D23 Expo, which will be held in August.