Marvel is witnessing how big of a hole Robert Downey Jr. left in the MCU when his character heroically died in Avengers: Endgame. Most of the projects post-Endgame show a declining trend in audience interest in the films.
While this is a universal trend across CBM films now, returning superheroes notably get a more positive reception. Fans have been suggesting that Marvel bring back Downey Jr. as Iron Man for the same reason.
While it was largely believed that the Oppenheimer actor wouldn’t return to the role, especially after his Oscar win, it appears that Downey Jr. would happily accept the Iron Man suit any day. His Avengers co-star has already laid out a plan for the same.
Robert Downey Jr. Just Teased His Iron Man Return
In a cover story published for Esquire today, Robert Downey Jr. made an interesting revelation that would keep the hopes of the Marvel fandom sky-high. The Oscar-winning actor is not ready to shut the door on Iron Man forever. When asked if he would come back to the MCU as Iron Man, Downey Jr. didn’t hesitate to reply, “Happily.”
Downey Jr.’s statement is clearly not a promise but he has just let Marvel Studios know that his options are open, just in case. He also added that the superhero suit is an integral part of his DNA. He shared his confidence in Kevin Feige, stating that any bet against the Marvel boss is a losing bet. The Sherlock Holmes actor shared with Esquire:
“Happily. 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.”
Downey Jr.’s new revelation comes at a time when Iron Man fans lost their last bit of hope after Feige’s statement in an interview in December. Speaking to Vanity Fair for Downey Jr.’s cover story, Feige shared that the MCU would never touch Tony Stark’s final moments again. He shared that the scene was the culmination of years of hard work and they would never want to undo it in any way. Feige shared with Vanity Fair:
“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.”
If the MCU were to undo Tony’s death, another OG Avenger already predicted how Marvel could do that. Mark Ruffalo, who plays Bruce Banner / Hulk in the movies, predicted Downey Jr.’s manner of return in an earlier interview.
Hulk Actor Mark Ruffalo Predicted How Robert Downey Jr. Could Return To The MCU
After Avengers: Endgame, Robert Downey Jr.’s absence was something hard to process not just for fans, but also for some co-actors who worked with him for years. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner and Downey Jr.’s Tony immediately hit it off in The Avengers and remained intellectual companions till Tony’s death.
Before the Poor Things actor competed with Downey Jr. in the recent Oscars, he opened up about Downey Jr. during his appearance at the Emerald City Comic-Con. When Ruffalo was asked about continuing in the MCU without the Dolittle actor, he had a rather hopeful reply. Ruffalo shared (via The Direct):
“Sad, but there is a time machine. And there are alternate universes and realities, so anything could happen.”
While Downey Jr.’s return is much anticipated in the MCU, some fans also worry that bringing alternate reality or old Tony back may affect the legacy of the character explored in other projects. The Spider-Man films post-Endgame have addressed the loss of Tony Stark in great depth and the upcoming Ironheart series will also have some Iron Man legacy references.
However, fans still hope that Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios may find a brilliant storyline to adopt this potential return, possibly in Avengers: Secret Wars. The studio still has time to figure this out as Secret Wars is scheduled for a May 2027 release.
