Robert Downey Jr. Will Play Iron Man Again After All at Disneyland

Robert Downey Jr. is making a return as Iron Man, after all!

Josh D'Amaro, the Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, shared some exciting news involving the Marvel favorite.

Among many other announcements at the D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Saturday, Aug. 10, it was confirmed multiple new rides and attractions would be coming to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as a part of its DisneylandForward expansion project. And two of those will feature Downey Jr. stepping back into the shoes of Tony Stark again.

Iron Man: Avengers Infinity Defense will see guests travel across the multiverse to New York City, Asgard and Wakanda to battle with King Thanos. And then there's Stark Flight Lab, where guests will sit in two-person pods to be deployed to a test station.

The changes on the Avengers Campus will see the area double in size, PEOPLE previously reported.

D’Amaro announced that construction will start soon on both rides.

"We're going to find out that some of this global technology has gone missing and now King Thanos is using it to wreak havoc across multiple worlds," Disney Portfolio Executive Creative Director Scott Trowbridge shared of the Avengers Infinity Defense plot, per Entertainment Weekly.

"It's gonna be all hands on deck as we assemble the Avengers to take on his army," he continued, suggesting the ride will feature "favorite heroes, both big and small."

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The resort's $1.9 billion expansion was approved on May 7 by Anaheim City Council, where all seven council members voted in favor.

In the next 10 years, Disney's investment will go to updating rides, attractions, lands, lodging, entertainment and shopping — without increasing the square footage of the park.

The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, Inc. for around $4 billion in 2009.

Downey Jr. played Iron Man from the 2008 self-titled movie until the character's death in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, appearing in more Marvel Cinematic Universe films than any other star.

But during an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con on July 27. it was revealed he'd be heading back to the MCU as villain Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the next two Avengers movies, titled Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

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Directors Anthony and Joe Russo will also return to the franchise to direct Doomsday, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed.

“New mask, same task," Downey said as he emerged onto the panel's stage among a group of actors wearing masks and robes. 

"What did I tell ya? I like playing complicated characters," he added.

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