Having kickstarted the MCU in 2008 with Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. has since become the talisman of the Marvel franchise apart from being a key member of the Avengers. Over 11 years up until his character’s emotional farewell in 2019 with Avengers: Endgame, the star and his character Tony Stark aka Iron Man have been a match made in heaven.
Expectedly, when any actor is associated with a character so closely over many years, there is bound to be a certain amount of tears and sadness when they have to let go. Downey Jr. faced these exact emotions on hearing the script of Avengers: Endgame, which proved to directors the Russo Brothers that the Sherlock Holmes actor was deeply attached to Iron Man and the Marvel franchise.
Robert Downey Jr. Was Teary Eyed on Hearing Iron Man’s Fate In Avengers: Endgame
For actors, the characters they play become so much a part of their personal lives and experiences, that bringing their stories to a full circle is sometimes heartbreaking. MCU star Robert Downey Jr. went through a roller coaster of emotions while hearing the final script of Avengers: Endgame, which culminates his character Iron Man’s arc with his death.
In a book titled The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry, the Russo Brothers who directed the Avengers films, spoke about their relief on seeing Downey Jr.’s eyes well up with tears on hearing of his character’s fate. In a quote from the book that was shared by Screen Rant, the directors said,
“When we started winding down the pitch, and getting to his death, Robert started crying. And when we were done, he said ‘That’s f–king awesome.’ That’s when we knew that we had to do it. Because he felt it.”
The Oppenheimer star’s emotional breakdown proved to the Russo brothers that he was not only invested in his character but also had a deep respect for the Marvel franchise and their work which gave him huge stardom for over a decade.
Could Robert Downey Jr. Return As Iron Man?
In 2019, Robert Downey Jr. broke every fan’s heart into pieces with his character Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame, an event that proved to be a very emotional experience for the actor himself. With the MCU then expanding its narrative through the introduction of new plotlines and characters in its next phase, it was all but sure that Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark had well and truly come a full circle.
But if the chatter in the grapevine is to be believed, The Judge actor may still get the opportunity to reprise his iconic role in 2027 with the release of Avengers: Secret Wars. According to unconfirmed rumors, Marvel Head Kevin Feige had hinted that certain key characters who were gone forever, could be brought back to consolidate various MCU timelines before rebooting completely. It now remains to be seen if one of these characters could be Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, and if so, how integral he is in the development of the franchise.
