Marvel Star Robert Downey Jr. Reveals Character Cut From ‘Avengers’ Movie
Robert Downey Jr. is opening up about behind-the-scenes decisions from 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, and the revelations shed new light on how much the film changed before release.
With Avengers: Doomsday (2026) fast approaching, Downey Jr. and director Joe Russo sat down with CBR to discuss the franchise’s evolution — and in the process, confirmed that two notable cameos were cut from Infinity War despite being filmed.
What Got Cut From Infinity War
According to Downey Jr., a scene featuring Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan was shot and then removed entirely. “We had a Happy Hogan cameo in this scene that we reshot, then we 86’d it,” Downey Jr. told CBR. Favreau’s Happy Hogan did go on to appear in Avengers: Endgame (2019), along with Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) — so the character’s absence from Infinity War wasn’t permanent.
Joe Russo also revealed his own scrapped cameo, having filmed a small role as a press reporter badgering Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) in a Central Park scene.
Doomsday‘s Massive Ensemble
The interview comes as anticipation builds for Avengers: Doomsday, which marks Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU — this time as Victor Von Doom rather than Tony Stark. Marvel Studios confirmed the casting back in 2024, positioning Downey Jr. as the villain for both Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Doomsday replaced the previously announced Avengers: The Kang Dynasty following the studio’s decision to move away from Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. While Marvel chief Kevin Feige has maintained that the Doctor Doom pivot was in motion before Majors’ legal issues surfaced, the MCU has not yet addressed how it plans to fully write Kang out of the story. Given the film’s Multiversal incursion plot, many fans expect that explanation to arrive on screen.
The film boasts one of the largest casts in franchise history, blending MCU mainstays like Chris Hemsworth’s Thor with newer additions such as Lewis Pullman’s Sentry and Pedro Pascal’s Mister Fantastic. Also joining the roster are several stars from Fox’s X-Men films, including James Marsden’s Cyclops and Patrick Stewart’s Professor X.
Feige has previously described the post-Secret Wars MCU as a “reset” that will return the franchise to a “singular timeline,” fueling speculation that Doomsday and its sequel could serve as a farewell for many long-running characters — following in the footsteps of 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which closed the book on several legacy Fox characters.
Box Office Expectations
With a new Special Look unveiled at D23 Expo and early ticket sales tracking strongly, Avengers: Doomsday is positioned for a massive opening. Some industry watchers believe it could even outpace Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), which has recently surpassed $2.2 billion globally and shows no signs of slowing down.
As for what’s next, Joe Russo confirmed that production on Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to begin soon — though recent reports suggest filming has been temporarily paused for undisclosed reasons.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.
What are you most looking forward to seeing in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments down below!
