Robert Downey Jr. seems to have his plate full these days. While rumors swirl about him potentially stepping into the MCU as Doctor Doom, the Oppenheimer star is also keeping busy with a range of original projects. After starring in Park Chan-wook’s The Sympathizer and making his Broadway debut in Ayad Akhtar’s play McNeal, reports from Deadline suggest that Downey Jr. is being considered for the lead role in an adaptation of Julianna Baggott’s short story The Hider, currently in development at Universal.

The plot of The Hider is being kept tightly under wraps, leaving fans speculating about what kind of story it could be. Universal has brought on Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, known for their work on Ant-Man and The Wasp and Transformers One, to pen the script. This is not the first Baggott adaptation in the works—several of her stories, including Backwards and Except You, are being developed into films and TV shows. While we don’t yet know what genre The Hider will fall into, it seems safe to say it won’t be a rom-com, given the tone implied by the title.

Details such as additional cast members, production schedules, or a release date remain unknown, as the project is still in its early stages. While we wait for more updates, the prospect of Downey Jr. headlining yet another intriguing film is enough to stir excitement among fans. Rest assured, we’ll be keeping a close eye on The Hider as it develops.