Robert Downey Jr. is officially back on a Marvel set — and he’s bringing the love for his Avengers co-star Jeremy Renner with him.
Taking to Instagram, Downey shared a behind-the-scenes photo from the set of Avengers: Doomsday, in which he’s seen flexing his arm while reading Renner’s memoir My Next Breath. The image, taken outside his trailer, includes a Doctor Doom poster with the message: “Do not Knock. Trust yourself.”
"Reading Renner’s book and feeling stronger already… What a journey to wisdom… very instructive… a must read!" Downey captioned the post, signaling both his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — this time as the iconic villain Doctor Doom — and his admiration for Renner’s resilience.
Renner, who is still best known to Marvel fans as Hawkeye, responded with an emotional comment: “Long way from the ICU…. At least we know how this story ends my brother. Love you.” The exchange is a heartfelt nod to Renner’s remarkable recovery following a devastating snowplow accident in early 2023 that left him with over 30 broken bones and critical injuries.
While Renner’s status within the MCU remains uncertain, he recently revealed that he turned down a significantly reduced offer to return for Hawkeye Season 2. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Renner said, “They asked me to do Season 2, and they offered me half the money. I’m like, ‘Well, it’s going to take me twice the amount of work for half the amount of money, and eight months of my time, essentially, to do it for half the amount.’”
He added that the lowball offer came after his near-fatal accident. “I’m like, ‘I’m sorry. Why did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got ran over?’” he said. Though he didn’t demand more than his original pay, he declined the offer. A Disney insider later disputed Renner’s claims but didn’t provide further clarification.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.