Robert Downey Jr reprises Iron Man role ahead of Avengers: Doomsday for new Disney project

Robert Downey Jr has reprised his role as Iron Man for a new Disney project ahead of the release of Avengers: Doomsday in December. Despite his death in Avengers: Endgame, the actor will return as Tony Stark in a new dark ride at the Disneyland Resort in California.

Announced at this year's D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney confirmed that Downey Jr will star as Iron Man in Avengers: Infinity Defense, a new attraction at Disneyland.

Also reprising their roles from the MCU are Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and Chris Hemsworth as Thor (via Entertainment Weekly).

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Ms Marvel star Iman Vellani has also reprised her role and will introduce guests in a video presentation before the ride starts.

The new ride is set to open at the Disney California Adventure theme park in 2028, with all the stars having reportedly already filmed their scenes.

At D23, Disney released some footage that will be shown in the finished attraction, with Downey Jr's Iron Man saying: "Welcome to Avengers Campus. We built this place to recruit, inspire the next generation."

"You’re a big part of that mission," he continued, adding that guests will serve as heroes as they work together to battle the villain Thanos.

Also announced at the fan event was a new attraction, Stark Flight Lab, which sees Tony Stark take guests on a journey while riding an arm fixed to a moving track.

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Mackie also returns for that ride as Captain America, with Captain Marvel star Brie Larson joining them, having already filmed scenes.

Speaking about Stark Flight Lab, Walt Disney Imagineering's Executive Creative Director Brent Strong told the audience at D23: "Together, they will be your flight instructors as you discover what it’s like to train like an Avenger,"

Downey Jr last starred as Tony Stark in the 2019 hit Avengers: Endgame, in which his character died. He is set to return to the MCU this December as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday is released in cinemas on 18 December.

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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy. 

A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre. 

In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.