David Harbour Blurts Out "You're Tony Stark" Mid-Interview — Did One Line Just Spoil Something?

Asked to just throw out a random line, no context needed, David Harbour barely paused before switching into Red Guardian's signature Russian accent, gesturing as he declared: "You are Tony Stark!" That was the moment from his Variety interview, which was supposed to focus on his upcoming return in Avengers: Doomsday — a project he otherwise stayed tight-lipped about the entire time.

The reason this line has people speculating is the timing. Robert Downey Jr. is confirmed to be back in the MCU — but not as Iron Man's Tony Stark. This time he's playing the villain, Doctor Doom. Yet instead of blurting "Doctor Doom," David Harbour picked "Tony Stark" of all names. Naturally, the question emerges: if this really is a line from the film, does it mean Red Guardian's first reaction upon seeing Doctor Doom is recognizing that familiar Iron Man face underneath?

David Harbour's character Alexei Shostakov, aka Red Guardian, first appeared in Black Widow, returned in Thunderbolts, and is now getting pulled even deeper into the larger Marvel storyline with Avengers: Doomsday.

That said, this line can't be taken as concrete plot evidence just yet. David Harbour is known for joking around in interviews, and he's well aware that fans are most fixated on Robert Downey Jr.'s return — so tossing out the single most sensitive answer possible to mess with everyone is a perfectly reasonable explanation. What's hard to shake off, though, is exactly who he picked. If Red Guardian really does mistake Doctor Doom for Tony Stark, this "joke" might have accidentally let slip a key plot beat.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters in North America on December 18, when the answer will finally be revealed.