Disney Makes Desperate Move. Look What They Did To Try & Get Back On Top
Let's dive into the latest buzz from the world of superheroes and blockbuster movies. Marvel Studios is making some major moves as they gear up for their next two Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. But folks, it seems like these moves are raising more eyebrows than excitement.
Here's the scoop: Marvel Studios has decided to bring back some familiar faces to try and recapture that magic we all remember from the golden days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). That means the Russo Brothers, the directors behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, are back in the director's chair. And, perhaps even bigger news, Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU—not as Iron Man, but as the iconic villain Doctor Doom.
This all came to light during Marvel's big panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, where they announced that they were ditching their original plans involving Kang the Conqueror—partly due to the controversy surrounding actor Jonathan Majors’ conviction for assault. Instead, they’re bringing Doctor Doom to the forefront of the next Avengers saga.
Now, on paper, this seems like a sure-fire way to bring fans back to the theaters, right? You’ve got the Russo Brothers, who directed some of the biggest box office hits in history, and Robert Downey Jr., the man who arguably defined the MCU. But here’s the kicker: not everyone is thrilled about these decisions.
The general vibe from fans and critics is that Marvel’s move feels more like a desperate attempt to play on nostalgia rather than a bold, fresh direction for the franchise. Some are saying that bringing back Downey Jr., especially after his character Tony Stark had such an impactful and honorable send-off in Endgame, feels like a cheap ploy to rekindle past glory. And let’s not forget, Doctor Doom is one of the most complex and iconic villains in the Marvel universe—so the stakes are high for getting this character right.
But beyond the creative concerns, there’s the financial side of things, and this is where it gets really interesting. According to insider reports, Marvel is shelling out some serious cash to make this happen. The Russo Brothers are reportedly being paid $80 million to direct these films, with additional performance bonuses if the movies hit certain box office milestones.
And that’s not even the whole picture—Robert Downey Jr. is allegedly getting “significantly more,” which means the budget is already sky-high, even before considering other production costs.
With all this money on the line, it’s clear Marvel is betting big on these next Avengers movies to pull the franchise out of its current slump. But given the lukewarm reaction so far, they might need more than just familiar faces to win over audiences.
The first of these two ambitious projects, Avengers: Doomsday, is slated for a May 2026 release. Whether it will reignite the MCU or signal that the franchise has truly peaked is something only time—and box office numbers—will tell.