Jeremy Renner says he wasn’t aware of Robert Downey Jr’s return to MCU as Doctor Doom: ‘I started blowing up his phone’

The actor told US Weekly, “I had no idea. This son of a bi**h didn’t say anything to me, and we’re good friends.”

Jeremy Renner, who only learnt about the Oscar Award-winning actors stepping into the shoes of Doctor Doom after he saw the news online, said he started “blowing up” Avengers WhatsApp Groups which Renner, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo are part of. “I started blowing up Robert Downey Jr’s phone,” the actor said, adding, “I’m like, ‘What’s going on? Are you hiding this from us?’ I don’t know.”  However, the 53-year-old said he was thrilled to hear the news. “I’m really, really excited about it,” he added.

ALSO READ Jonathan Majors ‘heartbroken’ over Robert Downey Jr’s return to Marvel as Doctor Doom: ‘I love Kang, Doctor Doom is wicked’

 

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ALSO READ Robert Downey Jr will earn ‘significantly more’ than Rs 670 cr for Marvel return; his total MCU earnings exceed Rs 4000 crore: report

Interestingly, directors Anthony and Joseph Russo have also made a comeback and will be helming the next two Avengers movies. When asked if he is also returning to the MCU as the sharpshooter, without giving out much, Jeremy Renner, who reprised the role of Hawkeye in the Disney+ miniseries Hawkeye and seemingly hung up his boots, shared, “It seems the Avenger movies have always been really fan favourites and there’s so many wonderful characters in them. I think it’s going to be challenging to get everybody together,” he admitted. “I think they’re going to probably have to piece it together like week-by-week, just for people’s schedules.”

Renner had previously suffered a near-fatal accident in January 2023 after a snow plough ran him over as he was trying to save his nephew from getting run over. The actor broke over 30 bones in the accident, which required major rehabilitation. Post recovery, the Arrival actor was seen in Mayor of Kingstown season three.  

Earlier, Gwyneth Paltrow, who played Pepper Potts, in Iron Man and The Avengers series, responding to Robert Downey Jr’s Instagram post where the actor shared photos of himself with the mask of Doctor Doom. She wrote, “I don’t get it, are you a baddie now?”