Probably comic book sacrilege, but I’d like to see him return as a version of Doctor Doom. In this scenario, Doom has already been reveiled with a different actor in a Fantastic Four movie (this will later be handwaved as being in an alternate unverse…) Rumors and spoilers for Robert Downey Jr being in a new marvel movie are deliberatly circulated (e.g. they owe him one more under contract, are just trying to use his name to revive the brand, it will be a flashback, etc.)
Then in a major scene of an avengers like movie. The heros (most of whom had a close relation with Tony Stark) are facing off against Doom. They start giving the usual heroic speech about saving the world and whatnot, critisizing Doom for prioritizing his own nation over the world, when Doom replies with something like “what good is there in saving the world if you have to sacrifice the ones you love” as his iconic Doom mask fractures in a pattern similar to the Ironman mask, and Tony Stark’s scarred face is reveiled.
This version of Tony would be from a universe where in the confrontation with Thanos, just as the stones were fusing with Tony’s glove, something (obscured and kept from the audience) hit him and he failed. Thanos immediately grabed the stones, snapped, and that universe was destroyed. The residual stone energy in the suit transfered Tony to the main universe where he becomes Doom.
His role in this “phase” would be to force the heros into considering uncomfortable truths, but also to work on a meta level as a commentary on the Marvel movies as a whole. Doom would outright call out (in universe) the same issues fans (and anti-fans) have with the series and nearly break the 4th wall.
There would be an especially tragic scene with Spiderman (forced to confront his hero turned villain.) And a scene with Pepper where she starts off confronting him in hopes of using their emotional connection to create an opening, and in a scene reminiscent to the near kiss from Iron Man 1, there is a brief moment where it seems they might actually fall for each other all over again, then Doom says something like “close, but you are not her” disengages and triggers an action scene.
Probably comic book sacrilege, but I’d like to see him return as a version of Doctor Doom. In this scenario, Doom has already been reveiled with a different actor in a Fantastic Four movie (this will later be handwaved as being in an alternate unverse…) Rumors and spoilers for Robert Downey Jr being in a new marvel movie are deliberatly circulated (e.g. they owe him one more under contract, are just trying to use his name to revive the brand, it will be a flashback, etc.)
Then in a major scene of an avengers like movie. The heros (most of whom had a close relation with Tony Stark) are facing off against Doom. They start giving the usual heroic speech about saving the world and whatnot, critisizing Doom for prioritizing his own nation over the world, when Doom replies with something like “what good is there in saving the world if you have to sacrifice the ones you love” as his iconic Doom mask fractures in a pattern similar to the Ironman mask, and Tony Stark’s scarred face is reveiled.
This version of Tony would be from a universe where in the confrontation with Thanos, just as the stones were fusing with Tony’s glove, something (obscured and kept from the audience) hit him and he failed. Thanos immediately grabed the stones, snapped, and that universe was destroyed. The residual stone energy in the suit transfered Tony to the main universe where he becomes Doom.
His role in this “phase” would be to force the heros into considering uncomfortable truths, but also to work on a meta level as a commentary on the Marvel movies as a whole. Doom would outright call out (in universe) the same issues fans (and anti-fans) have with the series and nearly break the 4th wall.
There would be an especially tragic scene with Spiderman (forced to confront his hero turned villain.) And a scene with Pepper where she starts off confronting him in hopes of using their emotional connection to create an opening, and in a scene reminiscent to the near kiss from Iron Man 1, there is a brief moment where it seems they might actually fall for each other all over again, then Doom says something like “close, but you are not her” disengages and triggers an action scene.
If Disney had a writer like you their audience engagement wouldn’t be tanking. 10/10 would watch or read this.