Although Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr. mentioned last month that he would be willing to play “Iron Man” again, sparking rumors of his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the two directors of “Avengers: Endgame” remain skeptical.
Audiences may remember that Robert Downey Jr. played “Iron Man” in “Avengers: Endgame”, where directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo chose to have Iron Man sacrifice himself to defeat the super villain Thanos.
However, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, important characters who die rarely stay gone forever. For example, Patrick Stewart’s “Professor X” has been murdered three times and yet always manages to come back, while Hugh Jackman’s “Wolverine” died in “Logan” but will reappear in this year’s “Deadpool & Wolverine”.
In early April, Robert Downey Jr. expressed his enthusiasm to return as Iron Man in an interview with “Gentleman’s Journal”, saying that he would gladly play the role again and jokingly mentioning not to bet against Marvel President Kevin Feige, as Feige always wins. This statement has ignited discussions among fans, giving them hope for Iron Man’s return.
Regarding Robert Downey’s hint at a possible return as Iron Man, both directors, Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, expressed skepticism during an interview with “GamesRadar” at an international film festival. Anthony said, “I don’t know what they will do, I don’t know where this road will lead.” Joe added, “What I mean is, we closed this book, so it depends on how they choose to reopen it.”
Robert Downey portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man in the MCU for 11 years, from the “Iron Man” series to the “Avengers” series, contributing significantly to the success of the MCU and establishing himself as one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. Currently, Marvel Studios has not announced any plans for Robert Downey to reprise his role as Iron Man, but according to reports from foreign media, the multiverse may be the only way for Iron Man to return.
In 2023, Robert Downey Jr. won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in “Oppenheimer”. Besides his role in the HBO spy thriller “The Sympathizer”, where he plays multiple roles, there have been no other acting projects announced for him at the moment.