Editing Robert Downey Jr. (section)

=== 2020–present: ''Oppenheimer'' and expansion ===
In 2020, Downey starred in [[Dolittle (film)|''Dolittle'']], playing the [[Doctor Dolittle|titular character]], depicted in the film as a 19th-century Welsh veterinarian who can communicate with animals. This was the second film from Team Downey. It was a [[Box-office bomb|box office disappointment]] and received negative reviews from critics, who called it "too long [and] lifeless."<ref>{{Cite web |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |date=January 18, 2020 |title='Bad Boys For Life' So Good With $68M+; 'Dolittle' Still A Dud With $30M+ – Box Office Update |url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/bad-boys-for-life-dolittle-1917-weekend-box-office-1202833726/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120213703/https://deadline.com/2020/01/bad-boys-for-life-dolittle-1917-weekend-box-office-1202833726/ |archive-date=January 20, 2020 |access-date=January 19, 2020 |website=Deadline}}</ref>

In 2023, Downey portrayed antagonistic bureaucrat [[Lewis Strauss]] in [[Christopher Nolan]]'s ''[[Oppenheimer (film)|Oppenheimer]]''. He took a pay cut to work on the film, earning $4 million in lieu of his usual $10–20 million upfront salary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=July 20, 2022 |title=Inside Movie Stars' Salaries: Joaquin Phoenix Nabs $20M for ''Joker 2,'' Tom Cruise Heads to Over $100M and More |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/features/movie-star-salaries-joaquin-phoenix-joker-2-tom-cruise-1235320046/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720160107/https://variety.com/2022/film/features/movie-star-salaries-joaquin-phoenix-joker-2-tom-cruise-1235320046/ |archive-date=July 20, 2022 |access-date=July 21, 2022 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> Downey would later describe ''Oppenheimer'' as "the best film" in which he has appeared to date.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 17, 2023 |title=Robert Downey Jr hails Oppenheimer as his "best film" |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44569013/robert-downey-jr-oppenheimer-best-film-career/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720113845/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44569013/robert-downey-jr-oppenheimer-best-film-career/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=[[Digital Spy]]}}</ref> The biopic and Downey's performance received critical acclaim.<ref name="Chang">{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Justin |title='Oppenheimer' doesn't show us Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That's an act of rigor not erasure. |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-11/oppenheimer-atomic-bomb-hiroshima-nagasaki-christopher-nolan |access-date=August 23, 2023 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 11, 2023 |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823033158/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-11/oppenheimer-atomic-bomb-hiroshima-nagasaki-christopher-nolan |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Henry |date=July 21, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' is Robert Downey Jr.'s Best Role in Years |url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a44586992/oppenheimer-review-robert-downey-jr/ |access-date=July 27, 2023 |website=Esquire |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727233558/https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a44586992/oppenheimer-review-robert-downey-jr/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Sam |date=July 24, 2023 |title=Robert Downey Jr. is at his best in Oppenheimer, which could spark a new chapter for the actor |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/robert-downey-jr-best-oppenheimer-170854603.html |access-date=July 27, 2023 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727150514/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/robert-downey-jr-best-oppenheimer-170854603.html |url-status=live }}</ref> For the role, he won the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Golden Globe Award]], [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role|BAFTA Award]], [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role|Screen Actors Guild Award]], [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor|Critics' Choice Award]], and [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]].<ref name="oppenheimer">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2024/03/10/supporting-actor-2024-oscars/1b62fa22-df40-11ee-95aa-7384336086f3_story.html|title=Robert Downey Jr. wins his first Oscar for supporting actor role in 'Oppenheimer'|last=Yamat|first=Rio|date=March 10, 2024|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 11, 2024}}</ref> Also in 2023, Downey hosted the television series ''Downey's Dream Cars'', where he and his team converted some of Downey's cars from gas to electric.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2023/scene/columns/robert-downey-jr-downeys-dream-cars-max-1235647585/|title=Robert Downey Jr.'s 'Dream Cars' Sees 'Iron Man' Star Using Technology to Convert His Cars to Electric — but He's Not Trying to Be Tony Stark|last=Malkin|first=Marc|date=June 22, 2023|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=April 26, 2024|archive-date=July 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707203538/https://variety.com/2023/scene/columns/robert-downey-jr-downeys-dream-cars-max-1235647585/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Downey next starred in a [[The Sympathizer (miniseries)|2024 television adaptation]] of [[Viet Thanh Nguyen]]'s historical satire novel ''[[The Sympathizer]]'' on [[HBO]], portraying five supporting antagonistic roles representing the American establishment.<ref>{{cite magazine art<!---->icle |last1=Gardner |first1=Chris |title=Park Chan-wook Praises Robert Downey Jr. for Remembering Every Crew Member on 'Sympathizer' Set: "He Gives Them Each a Pat on the Back" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-downey-jr-the-sympathizer-tv-series-park-chan-wook-1235300947/ |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412192321/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-downey-jr-the-sympathizer-tv-series-park-chan-wook-1235300947/ |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |date=January 16, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> His multi-role performance earned him an Emmy nomination for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie]].<ref>{{cite Magaz<!---->ine |last1=Lewis |first1=Hilary |last2=Nordyke |first2=Kimberly |title=Emmys 2024: List of Nominees |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/emmys-nominations-2024-nominees-list-1235950616/ |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717161207/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/emmys-nominations-2024-nominees-list-1235950616/ |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |date=July 17, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Downey Jr. made his [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] debut in ''[[McNeal (play)|McNeal]]'', from playwright [[Ayad Akhtar]], playing Jacob McNeal, a gifted novelist with a difficult family life and a potentially problematic interest in [[artificial intelligence]]. Previews began on September 5, 2024, and opened on September 30 at [[Lincoln Center]]'s [[Vivian Beaumont Theatre]], playing a strictly limited engagement through November 24.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/07/theater/robert-downey-jr-ayad-akhtar-broadway.html|title= Robert Downey Jr. to Make Broadway Debut in Ayad Akhtar Play|work= The New York Times|date= May 7, 2024|accessdate= May 7, 2024|last1= Paulson|first1= Michael|archive-date= May 7, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240507160511/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/07/theater/robert-downey-jr-ayad-akhtar-broadway.html|url-status= live}}</ref>

In July 2024 at [[San Diego Comic-Con]], it was announced that Downey would return to the MCU in a new role as [[Doctor Doom (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom]] in the upcoming films ''[[Avengers: Doomsday]]'' (2026) and ''[[Avengers: Secret Wars]]'' (2027).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-avengers-1235960026/|title=Robert Downey Jr. Back as Doctor Doom for Two 'Avengers' Movies|date=July 27, 2024|first1=Borys|last1=Kit|first2=Aaron|last2=Couch|first3=Ryan|last3=Gajewski|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=July 28, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728022926/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-avengers-1235960026/|archive-date=July 28, 2024}}</ref>