After Robert Downey Jr. became synonymous with the character Iron Man, it is nearly impossible for Marvel fans to imagine anyone else in his place. As Downey is set to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as its next supervillain, Dr. Doom, an old clip has resurfaced. The clip is his audition tape for ‘Iron Man in which he displays his iconic playboy charm as well as his serious attitude for the role. Downey’s rendition of Iron Man helped put Marvel on the map. After his exit from the franchise following Iron Man’s (aka Tony Stark’s) death in ‘Avengers: Endgame’, he is returning to the MCU—not as a hero, but as a villain.

Robert Downey Jr. will be seen in the upcoming Avengers films, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. Both films will be directed by the Russo Brothers. Previously, the duo helmed several successful Marvel superhero films.

In the viral video, the actor can be seen effortlessly delivering his lines as Tony Stark. The conversation takes place between him and a journalist. The video highlights his acting prowess and how quickly he transitions from a playful and flirty attitude to a serious tone. Meanwhile, another scene shows his emotional exchange with an actor standing in for Terrence Howard’s James Rhodes.

Catch it here:

Robert Downey Jr Audition For Iron Man pic.twitter.com/mSo2RPojvr

— Ken Rutkowski (@kenradio) August 14, 2024

Since the video has gone viral, fans have flooded the comments section, lauding Downey’s skills. One fan wrote, “Dude, he was literally amazing here. Not a single moment did he not wow the cast and crew. Absolute cinema!”.  Another noted, “No one in that room would have guessed they were about to start the biggest movieverse ever.” Meanwhile, another user commented, “Yup, that’s a half a billion-dollar audition right there, folks.”

Also Read: Robert Downey Jr. returns to MCU as Dr Doom: What this means for the franchise

Recently, in an unanticipated move, the franchise announced Robert Downey Jr.’s return as one of the deadliest Marvel antagonists. The actor is set to play Dr. Victor von Doom, also known as Dr. Doom. He will portray the role in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which is set to premiere in May 2026, and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, which will follow in May 2027.

The Russo Brothers’ independent studio, AGBO, is co-producing the films with Marvel. Meanwhile, the duo will be joined by scriptweter Stephen McFeely for both films. He co-wrote all four of the brothers’ Marvel films. These include ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, ‘Captain America: Civil War’, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, and ‘Endgame’.