Robert Downey Jr. Would “Happily” Play Iron Man Again
Ever since Tony Stark sacrificed himself to save the universe and defeat Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, rumors have continued to swirl that Robert Downey Jr. could somehow return to the MCU.
Demands for Iron Man’s story to continue only intensified after the disastrous 2023 that Marvel had. While the return of Robert Downey Jr.’s Avenger would certainly increase fan interest, it would also risk undermining the story that Marvel took 15 years to tell.
The death of Iron Man is the emotional crux of the entire MCU, and to undo that would cheapen everything that came before it.
Feige Has Stated That Marvel Will Not Undo Iron Man’s Death
In the face of fan speculation that Downey Jr. could return, Kevin Feige made it clear that Marvel would not risk undoing Tony Stark’s iconic death. After Variety reported that Marvel was considering bringing back the original Avengers team, Feige had this to say:
“We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Downey Changes His Tune
As for Downey, following his turn in Oppenheimer, the actor sounded relieved to be out of the MCU and be able to explore other opportunities.
Still, in a recent interview with Esquire, Downey Jr. said he would be open to returning to the MCU if the opportunity called.
“Happily,” Downey Jr. said. “It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me. And look, I always say, Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
While it is unlikely that Marvel would bring back the Tony Stark who died in Avengers: Endgame, with the Marvel Multiverse unleashed and Secret Wars on the horizon, perhaps another version of the character will be introduced.
Either way, after years of distancing himself from Marvel, Downey Jr’s assertion that he would be willing to come back is quite the change.