Disney made Robert Downey Jr. an be offering he couldn’t refuse. The fan-favorite Avenger would be the godfather for the Disney Journey, the latest and biggest cruise send within the DCL fleet. The corporate shared the scoop forward of the vessel’s maiden voyage subsequent month out of its house port in Singapore.
The honorary godparent position is a longstanding maritime custom. The godparent bestows a different blessing of fine good fortune at the send all over the christening rite, bringing excellent fortune to the vessel, its team, and all of the visitors who will sail aboard.
“Our new send continues Disney Cruise Line’s custom of bringing nice tales to lifestyles at sea, and we’re venerated that Robert Downey Jr., who has guided audiences thru unforgettable Wonder tales, is the reliable godparent for the Disney Journey,” mentioned Josh D’Amaro, present Chair of Disney Reports and incoming Disney CEO. The day has after all come when D’Amaro referred to as on RDJ to do a provider for him, in serving as godfather of the Journey.
Downey’s portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Guy was once the cornerstone of the Wonder Cinematic Universe, the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time. His unprecedented decade-plus cinematic adventure as the long-lasting personality culminated in Avengers: Endgame, which accrued greater than $2.79 billion on the international field administrative center. Downey was once named an reliable Disney Legend in 2019.
Simply when RDJ idea he was once out after Endgame (therefore the identify), Disney pulled him again in. Downey will now celebrity as Physician Doom in Wonder Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, in theaters December 18, 2026.
“It’s not possible to explain the majesty of the Journey, and to be its godparent is an honor. As the most important send within the Disney fleet, a gargantuan blessing should be bestowed … I’ll do my darndest,” Downey mentioned.
The Disney Journey brings greater than 100 years of Disney storytelling to lifestyles throughout seven themed spaces, together with a number of Wonder stories. At Wonder Touchdown at the height decks, visitors could have without equal Tremendous Hero journey on Tony Stark’s Ironcycle Take a look at Run, the primary curler coaster on a Disney Cruise Line send and the longest of its type at sea.
Within the open-air Disney Creativeness Lawn space, the “Avengers Compile!” reside degree manufacturing will characteristic jaw-dropping stunts and particular results all over an action-packed struggle of Wonder Tremendous Heroes and Villains. And within Disney’s Oceaneer Membership, the Wonder WEB Workshop invitations younger recruits to check out out new Tremendous Hero go well with prototypes and behavior coaching simulations the usage of top-secret Avengers era.
The brand new send additionally provides signature Disney Cruise Line leisure and hospitality: personality meet & greets, Broadway-style presentations, themed staterooms and concierge lodging, and greater than 20 eating and front room venues that includes world-class global and Asian-inspired cuisines and drinks.
The Disney Journey is solely the newest send that’s a part of DCL’s competitive enlargement plans. It’s additionally a little bit of an outlier. It’s now not a part of the Want-class (therefore the bigger dimension and exact points of interest at the height decks), however fairly, it’s the previous World Dream send that Disney bought partly finished in a fireplace sale.
The send has been making some main milestones during the last month-plus, earlier than it units sail from Singapore beginning March 10, 2026. After a just about two-week transatlantic crossing, the Disney Journey because it traveled from Germany to Port Canaveral, Florida.
From there, it become the most important passenger vessel to shuttle during the Panama Canal, arriving in Los Angeles, California. The newest milestone is its arrival in Tokyo, marking the tip of a two-week adventure around the Pacific Ocean, together with crossing the World Date Line.
Talking of Tokyo, any other send is coming to Asia with the new Disney cruise send introduced for Oriental Land Corporate, which is the fourth within the Want-class and can set sail in 2028/2029 out of Japan. There are rumors of any other OLC send after that, too.
However wait, there’s much more. All over the final D23 Expo, Disney introduced that Disney Cruise Line is Including 4 New Ships between 2029 and 2031 on height of all the ones, bringing the full fleet dimension to 13 ships.
Our Observation
I in finding a few issues about this interesting. The primary is that Disney by no means refers to Robert Downey Jr. because the godfather of the Disney Journey, simplest the godparent. (Godfather references are all me.) This isn’t merely an try at gender-neutrality or no matter. Only a few months in the past, they introduced Susan Egan will be the godmother of the Disney Future.
I doubt the godparent vs. godfather phraseology was once now not one made on a whim, however fairly, was once deliberated internally. And I’d additional wager that the cause of godparent being selected was once as a result of The Godfather. Even many years later, Don Corleone is who right away involves thoughts when that time period is used, even if it’s the lowercase godfather. RDJ isn’t the godfather, Marlon Brando and Al Pacino are.
Similarly interesting is that Disney landed as massive of a reputation as Robert Downey Jr. to be godfather of the Disney Journey. This isn’t to mention previous godmothers had been D-listers or anything else of the kind, simply that RDJ is of a better profile, particularly for a boat that’ll be homeported in Singapore.
It’s protected to think the pictures of RDJ at the send weren’t taken this week, because the Disney Journey is in Japan. Much more likely, they had been captured on or round February ninth, after the Disney Journey become the most important passenger vessel to shuttle during the Panama Canal, and arrived in Los Angeles, California. That might additionally provide an explanation for the presence of Bruce Vaughn and Bob Iger, who’re California-based.
However we’d additionally think Robert Downey Jr. might be found in Singapore for the real christening of the send subsequent month. That turns out like a giant dedication, until he’s already making plans on being there for every other reason why. Or, I guess, they may do RDJ’s portion of the christening by way of video.
Robert Downey Jr. has been actively concerned with Disney since affirmation of his go back in Avengers: Doomsday.
Remaining yr, RDJ made a marvel look at SXSW, calling the Imagineers running on those new stories, “the residing embodiment of the Stark Enterprises venture observation.”
“The interest, the fervour, the inventiveness, the occasional aptitude for the dramatic, maximum of all a force to position one thing excellent out into the arena to make lifestyles higher, on the minimal extra amusing via a mile, ” Downey informed the group. “It’s the privilege of a life-time to be invited to take part.”
Downey was once additionally lovely excited simply to be invited into the Imagineering international, joking concerning the stealth of WDI headquarters. “You wanna speak about a closed set? It’s the House 51 of amusing!”
RDJ’s appearances are attached to Stark Flight Lab, the secondary enchantment coming to the Avengers Campus enlargement at Disney California Journey. “Even when we end with the Flight Lab, I need to stick with you inquisitive about the lengthy haul,” Downey mentioned all over SXSW, “This isn’t a one-time deal. You want extra me.”
It sort of feels lovely transparent that Robert Downey Jr. is the face of the Wonder Cinematic Universe, and I will’t lend a hand however surprise simply how a lot we’re going to look his exact face within the Avengers Campus enlargement (and past). Imagineering has some thrilling new tech that was once showcased within the final episode of “We Name It Imagineering.”
That new envelope-pushing Audio Animatronics innovation turns out easiest for Tony Stark/Physician Doom/whoever within the new experience(s). In truth, we wouldn’t be stunned if RDJ “coming alive” is among the massive wow moments within the Avengers Campus enlargement!
As for RDJ’s higher involvement with Disney, it’s tricky to inform what’s actual and what’s an act. Is RDJ’s enthusiasm in reality for the product and Imagineering, or for the wealthy total deal he inked with Disney to look within the new Avengers movies and change into a emblem ambassador of types?
He’s a excellent actor, so it’s tricky to inform! What I know is that, earlier than even taking on as CEO, Josh D’Amaro already has a excellent running courting with extra high-profile Wonder actors than Bob Chapek ever did. Optimistically that implies we received’t see a repeat of the Black Widow fiasco.
Individually, I truly hope that this is a part of a big-picture deal between Disney and RDJ. Despite the fact that I’ve misplaced hobby in all issues Wonder, I’ll make an exception for the impending star-studded nostalgia commute this is Avengers: Doomsday. My actual hope, even though, is that Disney has different tasks within the pipeline with Downey. He’s a charismatic actor, but in addition a significant one with vary (as demonstrated via Oppenheimer). It’s a disgrace that his filmography from the decade is ruled via nearly not anything however tremendous hero flicks.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on Robert Downey Jr. as godfather of the Disney Journey? Are you intrigued via the brand new send, and its variations from the Want-class? Or is being founded out of Singapore a non-starter? Do you settle or disagree with our exams? Any questions? Listening to comments about your stories is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas beneath within the feedback!
