Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch recently revealed the reaction he had when he learned about Robert Downey Jr‘s return to the MCU.
Robert Downey Jr’s casting as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday was a well-kept secret until the surprise reveal at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in July 2024.
How Benedict Cumberbatch reacted to Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom return
Benedict Cumberbatch recently sat down with Variety to promote his upcoming movie The Thing With Feathers. While the actor talked about his new movie, the interviewer also asked about Avengers: Doomsday. This is when Benedict Cumberbatch opened up about the reaction he had when Robert Downey Jr was unveiled as Doctor Doom.
The Imitation Game star mentioned that he first learned about Robert Downey Jr’s return to the MCU while watching the live footage of SDCC in 2024. He stated that as soon as Marvel’s panel was over he was so astonished by the news that he texted Feige, saying, “I texted, ‘What the f—? Good what-the-f—. I mean, good what-the-f—.’”
As the conversation surrounding Avengers: Doomsday continued, Cumberbatch stated that he would not appear as Doctor Strange in the 2026 movie. However, he assured fans that his character will be a big part of the following Avengers movie, Avengers: Secret Wars.
Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t the only actor who was surprised and excited by Robert Downey Jr’s comeback announcement. In September 2024, while speaking to Collider, War Machine actor Don Cheadle said, “I was like, ‘What the f—?” Additionally, DC co-CEO James Gunn has also expressed his feelings on Robert Downey Jr’s return on the Happy Sad Confused podcast in December 2024. He stated, “I was excited about it. And I also love Robert, so I think that’s cool. I think it’s a great idea. I think there’s nobody better than him.”
