Hollywood’s biggest night saw a mini-Marvel reunion as Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans shared the stage at the Academy Awards, delighting fans with a playful nod to their long-running partnership in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The 98th edition of the Academy Awards took place at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 16.
The two actors, who are set to return to the franchise in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, presented the awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay.
Opening the segment, Downey Jr highlighted the importance of writing in filmmaking.
“The script. It’s the driving force of any film, and it’s truly been a banner year for screenwriters,” Downey Jr began saying, as Evans interrupted him to ask what his co-star got him for the 14th anniversary of The Avengers.
The exchange quickly turned humorous as Evans revealed that he had gifted Downey Jr a signed copy of the Avengers script, while the Iron Man star joked that he had only given Evans his valet receipt.
The duo went on to present the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar to Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another. As they later introduced the nominees for Best Original Screenplay, which ultimately went to Sinners writer Ryan Coogler, Downey Jr pulled out another surprise – a pair of sparkly underwear worn by Channing Tatum in Magic Mike. From the audience, Tatum jokingly shouted that he would need them back “for work later.”
Fans also noticed subtle references to their upcoming Marvel roles through their outfits. Downey Jr appeared in a dark green jacket, reminiscent of his new character Doctor Doom, while Evans wore a dark blue suit, echoing the colours of Captain America.
Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans became global stars playing Tony Stark aka Iron Man and Steve Rogers aka Captain America. Both characters were written out of the main storyline in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Stark sacrificed himself to defeat Thanos, while Rogers chose to retire after travelling back in time to live with Peggy Carter.
However, the two superheroes are set to return in Marvel’s upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday. Downey Jr will appear as the franchise’s next major villain, Doctor Doom, after being teased in the post-credits scene of Fantastic Four: First Steps. Evans’ return was confirmed in a teaser released last year that launched a year-long countdown to the new Avengers film.
The film is expected to bring together a large ensemble of Marvel stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Letitia Wright, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby and several others.
