Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Snap | Marvel Studios
Snap is reportedly in talks with Robert Downey Jr. to become a brand ambassador
Snapchat unveiled its AR (augmented reality) glasses, Specs, earlier this month and were widely mocked on social media due to their cumbersome size and awkward shape. According to reports, the company is looking to Robert Downey Jr. to change the narrative.
Unveiled at the AWE mixed-reality conference in Long Beach, California last week, the Snapchat Specs will retail for $2,195 in the United States when shipping begins this fall. Snap describes Specs as being “the first wearable computer built for the real world” that “blend the digital and physical worlds, helping you discover, create, and connect more naturally.”
Evan Spiegel showing off the new Specs AR glasses to the public for the first time. pic.twitter.com/pCYBLU9xxH
— Nathie (@NathieVR) June 16, 2026
“Specs really represents a way to use computing together in shared experiences in the real world, looking up through see-through lenses rather than at an opaque screen,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said. “They’re kind of like a phone accessory or an open-ear headphone.”
Snapchat reportedly in talks with Robert Downey Jr. for $100 million stock deal to make him a brand ambassador for Specs
The market wasn’t as excited as Spiegel was, though, as Snap shares were down around 4% in midday-trading after the company announced the product. The Specs also went viral on social media, albeit for the wrong reasons.
Reports from AI journalist Alex Heath now indicate that Snap is in talks to pay Marvel Cinematic Universe star and Oscar-winning actor Robert Downey Jr. $100M in stock to be an ambassador for its Specs AR glasses.
Snapchat is reportedly in talks to pay Robert Downey Jr. $100M in stock to be an ambassador for its Specs AR glasses 🕶️
Each pair costs $2,195
(via @alexeheath) pic.twitter.com/p0vh2KVxR3
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) June 24, 2026
Downey Jr. popularized the use and look of AR glasses in the mainstream via his MCU character Tony Stark, who frequently donned augmented reality and AI-assisted glasses that likely represent the type of product these various tech companies are aspiring to make.
Given that RDJ is returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom later this year in Avengers: Doomsday, the actor has shown he’s willing to offer up his image as a marketing device if the price is right.