For years, Robert Downey Jr. has been synonymous with the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man. His portrayal of a brilliant multi-millionaire, playboy, and philanthropist touched the hearts of millions of people around the world. And it appears that he will once again don the iconic red and gold iron suit to lead the Avengers into their most epic battle yet.
Yes, according to recent rumors, Downey Jr. is set to reprise his iconic role of Tony Stark and lead the Avengers in the upcoming MCU flick, Avengers: Secret Wars. The fandom will definitely be shocked by this news, which has rekindled enthusiasm for the MCU’s future.
The MCU is currently going through a transitional phase, with many beloved characters either retiring or meeting untimely ends. With the departure of important characters like Iron Man and Captain America, the studio is surely in desperate need of a win to keep audiences intrigued and excited for what lies ahead for the franchise.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man to the Rescue: A Potential Game-Changer for MCU?
Over the years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen its fair share of highs and lows. However, there is no denying that fans have always loved Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Iron Man. So when rumors began to spread that RDJ might potentially return to lead the Avengers in a big event reminiscent of Secret Wars, fans were bound to get excited.
The rumor gained even more traction when Hugh Jackman, who famously portrayed Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, said he would only consider returning to the role if both Tobey Maguire and Downey Jr. were on board:
Hugh Jackman told Marvel he will return for Secret Wars but only if he'll get to interact with Tobey and RDJ 👀
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) March 3, 2024
This caused some to think that the Iron Man star’s return to the MCU might be on the cards, and what could be a more spectacular way to return than leading the Avengers to win a major event battle like Secret Wars?
Having said that, Marvel’s only opportunity to feature Wolverine, Iron Man, and Maguire’s Spider-Man together in one scene is in Secret Wars. Plus, it is the only one where it would make sense for other beloved Marvel characters from the non-MCU films to team up with them.
Hugh Jackman Declared that He would Return as Wolverine With The Avengers
Although Hugh Jackman has earlier declared that he is done portraying Wolverine, the actor has hinted that he might return to the character if he could ever make an appearance with the Avengers. In 2017, the actor stated that accepting the offer to play Wolverine alongside the Avengers would have been irresistible (via Cosmic Book):
“The Avengers would prove too much to turn down. Because I always love the idea of him [Wolverine] within that dynamic, with the Hulk obviously, with Iron Man, but there are a lot of smarter people with MBAs who can’t figure that out [laughter]. You never know. At the moment, honestly, if I really did have them there, I probably wouldn’t have said this is the last [about Logan]. It just feels like this is the right time [to leave the character].”
It was a while before he returned to Deadpool & Wolverine, which will arrive in theaters on July 26, 2024. The film, directed by Shawn Levy, is slated to be a sequel to Deadpool (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018).
The appearance of Jackman’s Wolverine alongside RDJ’s Iron Man is definitely a dream come true for everyone. That would signify the culmination of thirty years of Marvel stories told in Sony, Fox, and MCU movies.
Robert Downey Jr. Returns from the Dead as Tony Stark in Iron Man 4: Legacy of Stark Concept Trailer
That being said, there is a strong case to bring the Oppenheimer star back into the MCU, even if the aforementioned leak is untrue. We will need to bide our time until then.
Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled to open in theaters on May 7, 2027.
