Robert Downey Jr. played a key role in convincing two actors who were on the fence about joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe to become part of the franchise, leading to two of the best original Avengers, and Downey might be the only one who could get one of them back before it is too late. RDJ’s revealed return as Doctor Doom in the next two Avengers movies completely shook up the MCU. Kang the Conqueror is gone — only Doom remains.

While Marvel is keeping plot details for Avengers: Doomsday a secret for now, the studio has at least announced many of the stars who will be part of the film. Avengers: Doomsday‘s cast includes Downey and Thor actor Chris Hemsworth out of the MCU’s original Avengers, though a few others could also be part of the film. That said, the one original Avenger that I want to see return to the franchise has made that comeback sound difficult, but I believe Downey could convince him to return.

Robert Downey Jr. Helped Get Mark Ruffalo And Chris Evans For Marvel

The Avengers Movies Would Not Be The Same Without Them

The two original Avengers that joined the MCU after talking with Robert Downey Jr. were Captain America actor Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo, aka the Hulk. Recently, Evans chatted with ScreenRant about his new movie, Materialists, and the actor went into just how important RDJ has been in his career. Besides calling him and convincing Evans that playing Captain America would be great for him, the Steve Rogers actor revealed that the moment Downey called him was when he saw himself as valuable as an actor for the first time.

Those impactful comments are echoed by Mark Ruffalo’s own account of how Downey helped him see that playing the Hulk was what he had to do. During an appearance on The Late Show With Jimmy Fallon in 2020, Ruffalo opened up about how he was afraid of the big commitment with the MCU. According to Ruffalo, Downey was pretty straightforward when he talked him into being the MCU’s Bruce Banner, saying, “Ruffalo, let’s go. We got this. In true Iron Man fashion.” Check out the full quote below:

I was scared. I didn’t know what I could add to what I’d already thought had been done so well before me… and I’d only been doing indie movies until that point, so I was like ‘I don’t know if I’m the right person for this.’… It must have made it to him that I was… hemming and hawing, and he just simply said, ‘Ruffalo, let’s go. We got this.’ In true Iron Man fashion. And then after that, I was like, I guess I have to do it.

Mark Ruffalo Is Still In The MCU But Chris Evans Claims He Is Done With Captain America

The MCU Star Has Been Consistent About Being Done With Steve Rogers

I have a hard time believing that Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk is not in Avengers: Doomsday. On Disney+’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, we discovered that the Hulk now has a son in the MCU. That means Marvel must have long-term plans for Bruce Banner’s role in the franchise, and the CGI nature of the Hulk role allows Ruffalo to stay in the MCU longer than other actors with more physically demanding routines. The Hulk could be one of the unannounced characters for Avengers: Doomsday that Kevin Feige teased were coming.

As for Evans, his situation is a bit different. While most fans believe the actor will turn up in the film, be it as the MCU’s Captain America or an evil Captain Hydra variant, Evans told ScreenRant that he is not in Avengers: Doomsday, saying, “It’s sad to not be back with the band, but I’m sure they’re doing something incredible…” Over the past couple of years, Evans has consistently said that he loved his time as Captain America, but it is over now. Well, I believe that could change with one gentle nudge.

I Need Robert Downey Jr. To Get Chris Evans Back As Captain America For 1 Major Reason

Marvel Is Running Against Time For A Mᴀssive Event

Based on how highly Chris Evans spoke of Robert Downey Jr. during his interview with ScreenRant, as well as his comments, saying, “I’m sure it’s going to be that much harder when it comes out, and you feel like you weren’t invited to the party,” I’m convinced that if Downey was persistent in his efforts to get Evans back in the Captain America suit for Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars, he could be successful.

I need that to happen, as it could soon be too late for Evans’ MCU return. In Marvel Comics, Secret Wars ended with a reboot. 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars could do the same for the MCU, maintaining a few stars but largely changing the franchise so that new actors could come in as the original Avengers and the team lives on the same Earth as the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and others. It is now or never to get Chris Evans back as Captain America, and Downey is the one who could make it happen in the Avengers movies.