He will be part of a play based on Pulitzer prize winner Ayad Akhtar's work.

The Oscar-winning actor will play the lead in McNeal, the story of a writer struggling with “an estranged son, a new novel, old axes to grind and an unhealthy fascination with artificial intelligence”, reports The Guardian.

Theatre lovers will need to visit Lincoln Center Theater in New York to see Robert Downey Jr's performance onstage.

Directed by Bartlett Sher, the play will begin its preview show on September 5 and then open on Monday, September 30.

Robert had a significant start to the year when he won his first Oscar for best-supporting actor for his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

Speaking on his Broadway debut, the actor wrote on Instagram: " I am making my Broadway debut in the new play MCNEAL at Lincoln Center Theater! I knew I wanted to do Ayad’s new play before I was done reading it, then hearing Bart would be directing at the Beaumont theater sealed the deal. It’s been 40 years since I was last on 'the boards', but hopefully I’ll knock the dust off quick. MCNEAL is a timely and important story about the future of creatives, and I intend to do it justice."