Ever since the big announcement in Hall H at Comic-Con this year that Robert Downey Jr. would be back in the MCU, the reaction has been divisive. Some fans love that the franchise’s signature star will be back.

This agreement is one of the largest ever for an MCU actor. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo are reportedly earning around $80 million for directing both Doomsday and Secret Wars, making Downey’s deal one of the most high-profile negotiations in recent studio history.

Directed by Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame's Anthony and Joe Russo and written by Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely, Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 18, 2026, as part of Phase Six of the MCU. The movie's sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, is set to be released on December 17, 2027.