Two of the original Avengers assembled Sunday night at the 2026 Oscars.
Before they return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe later this year for Avengers: Doomsday, Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans hit the Dolby Theatre stage to present the awards for best adapted and original screenplay (that went to Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler for Sinners, respectively). During the mini Marvel reunion, the Captain America star noted that they were coming up on the 14th anniversary of the original Avengers film.
“Wow, the script, right?” Downey Jr. before they dished out the adapted screenplay award. “It’s the driving force of any film, and this has truly been a banner year for screenwriters.”
“What’d you get me for our anniversary?” Evans asked the Iron Man actor, who responded, “Dude, hold on.”
“It’s the 14th year anniversary of our first Avengers movie. I got you a signed copy of the original script signed by the whole cast,” Evans added. “It’s backstage, but I really thought this through.”
“Yeah, mine’s backstage,” Downey Jr. said of his gift for Evans, before handing over a faux offering, that of his valet parking ticket. “You self-drove?” Evans asked. “I did, I’m a man of the people,” the Oscar winner replied.
Continuing the bit after Anderson won his Oscar, and before Coogler was presented with his, Downey Jr. ran from backstage and handed Evans his anniversary gift — “the official tanning shadeam thong from Magic Mike.”
Magic Mike star Channing Tatum joked from the audience that he’d need it back.
The MCU is gearing up for a busy year. Most notably, Tom Holland’s fourth Spider-Man film, entitled Brand New Day, will hit theaters on July 31, while the long-awaited Avengers: Endgame followup Doomsday will release Dec. 18. The latter film is already a reunion in itself, with a plethora of Marvel stars from the past and present set to star.
Downey Jr., who previously starred as Iron Man/Tony Stark for the franchise, will return as Doctor Doom for Doomsday, as Evans will also reprise his role of Steve Rogers, after retiring the character in Endgame.
Oscars telecast executive producer Katy Mullan teased the special reunion during a press conference on Wednesday. She said, “There’s also going to be a Marvel reunion for the superhero fans. So we’re gonna have superstar superheroes, and there is also going to be an extraterrestrial on the stage. So you can figure that one out.”
The 98th Oscars were held Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, where Conan O’Brien returned for his second time as host.
See the full list of 2026 Oscar winners here, and check out all the dazzling red carpet looks here.
