Robert Downey Jr. has played the role of his lifetime, Tony Stark/Iron Man, for 11 years in the MCU. The iconic role has turned the actor’s career around, and also made him one of the most prominent performers in Marvel Studios’ history. Therefore, many were heartbroken to know his character sacrificed himself in Avengers: Endgame, and RDJ also stepped down from the role in search of something new.
Not long ago, a shocking rumor came around in the fandom, claiming that Marvel Studios is bringing back the original Avenger team, RDJ included, sending fans into a frenzy. Recently, Marvel’s head, Kevin Feige, addressed the rumor, and finally put an end to the debate of whether Robert Downey Jr. would return to the MCU or not. Let’s find out.
#1. “We Are Going To Keep That Moment,” Said Feige
Source: Todd Williamson, Getty Images
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Kevin Feige quickly addressed and debunked the speculations around Robert Downey Jr.’s return. According to the director and producer, they planned to “not touch that moment again”, implying the scene where Tony Stark heroically gave his life to save Earth from Thanos and his army. Check out the director’s full quote below:
“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.”
#2. Why Kevin Feige’s Choice Not To Bring Back Iron Man Makes Sense
Source: Marvel
With this statement, Feige has firmly denied any speculation around the matter, implying that they have no plan to bring back RDJ and Iron Man under any circumstances. Tony Stark died a heroic death in Avengers: Endgame, and in some ways, his passing allows the MCU to propel their story forward and bring new blood into the team.
Therefore, bringing Iron Man back using the Multiverse will only diminish Robert Downey Jr.’s legacy here in the MCU. It was never the intention of Feige and the rest of the Marvel crews in the first place, as they prefer to keep the moment untouched, and “would never want to magically undo it in any way”.
#3. About The Iron Man Rumor
Source: Marvel
In recent months, a shocking rumor spread inside Marvel communities, claiming that Marvel Studios are bringing back the original Avengers lineup from the 2012 movies. This means, alongside the likes of Chris Hemsworth or Mark Ruffalo, retired MCU performers such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson will also make their return to the MCU.
Many believe the idea was an attempt by Marvel Studios to make a soft reboot of the MCU, which seems to have lost its charms ever since Avengers: Endgame, with a series of inconsistent titles. With the Multiverse theme being exploited right now, the MCU could easily bring deceased or retired characters like Iron Man or Captain America to the table without breaking the overall storyline.
#4. Tony Stark’s Reemergence Would Also Hinder At Least Two More MCU Characters
Source: Marvel
Not only bringing back Tony Stark would undo his entire legacy in the MCU, but it would also interfere with at least two other characters’ growth in the entire franchise.
Firstly, we all know that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man character development has been greatly affected by Tony’s death, so bringing him back would also undo Spider-Man’s growth, which is the last thing fans would want for the next MCU lead.
Source: Marvel
Secondly, after Tony’s passing, Marvel has introduced a new candidate to take the Iron Man’s mantle: Riri Williams, aka Ironheart. Riri made her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and quickly became a strong contender thanks to her intellect shown in the movie. Ironheart is also set to return in her own Disney+ series, so bringing Iron Man back now will only hinder her progress as a superhero.
Do you think Robert Downey Jr. will return as Iron Man? Will Feige change his mind about bringing him back to the MCU? Tell us what you think in the comments.