Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors behind Avengers: Endgame, shared their thoughts on Robert Downey Jr. being open to the possibility to return as Tony Stark aka Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 23: Joe Russo attends the Thor: Love and Thunder World Premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in [Hollywood], California on June 23, 2022. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
He also added, “And look, I always say, Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man (2008), Marvel Entertainment
Speaking with GamesRadar at the Sands: International Film Festival in Scotland, Anthony Russo reacted to Downey’s comments telling the outlet, “I don’t know how they would do it. I don’t know what the road to that would be [laughs].”
His brother Joe Russo added, “I mean we closed that book so it would be up to them to figure out how to reopen it.”
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame (2019), Marvel Studios
There are numerous rumors and reports that Marvel Studios does indeed plan to bring Downey Jr. back into the fold. In fact, Downey himself seemed to tease it back in January during an appearance on Rob Lowe’s podcast.
About 14 minutes into the podcast, Lowe begins to chide Downey Jr. for seemingly checking his phone while they are recording.
Lowe asks, “It is some Marvel s**t? You going to break some stories here?”
Downey Jr. responds, “Not just yet.”
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008), Marvel Entertainment
Downey’s comments came in the wake of a rumor from WDW Pro back in November that Downey Jr. had negotiated a return as Tony Stark to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The scooper cited two previous reports from November. First, in November, Variety’s Tatiana Siegel reported that her sources within Marvel studios informed her “there have been talks to bring back the original gang for an Avengers movie. This would include reviving Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, both of whom were killed off in Endgame.”
However, she added, “But the studio hasn’t yet committed to the idea — if it were able to bring those actors back, it wouldn’t come cheap.”
Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Chris Evans as Captain America, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, and Mark Ruffalo as Hulk in The Avengers (2012), Marvel Entertainment
Shortly after that report, MyTimeToShineHello claimed that Robert Downey Jr. had already agreed to return as Iron Man at the beginning of the month.
The user simply shared to X, “RDJ already agreed to come back.”
RDJ already agreed to come back pic.twitter.com/BzN89nfNHW
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) November 1, 2023
After citing these two sources, Pro shared, “According to my sources this is true. Robert Downey Jr. has indeed signed on to Marvel.”
He later added, “We think this is an intent to, is because we don’t think he’s necessarily been given a script although a pitch has probably been made to him. We believe that to be absolutely true.”
The idea is also that Robert Downey Jr. will return for three movies.
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man (2008), Marvel Entertainment
READ: After Disastrous Box Office Results In 2023, Marvel Reportedly Lays Off Around 15 Employees
Kevin Feige previously informed Vanity Fair in December that the company had no plans for Downey to return to the role.
He said, “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.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 23: (L-R) Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios and Alan Bergman, Chairman of Disney Studios Content attend the Thor: Love and Thunder World Premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in [Hollywood], California on June 23, 2022. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)
READ: Brie Larson On Her Future With Marvel: “I Don’t Have Anything To Say About That”
Marvel Studios producer Stephen Broussard also told Gizmodo back in February 2023, “Well, I think one of the meta-narratives of Phase Four was about new characters. It was about new people stepping into mantles. If you look at, like, Cassie [Lang in Quantumania] getting a suit and Kate Bishop [in Hawkeye], new characters being introduced like Jack in Werewolf by Night.”
“After these first 10 years of Marvel storytelling, torches are being passed, like with Robert Downey Jr. no longer being [on the] table and stuff like that. So it was kind of like a new generation stepping to the forefront which, again, has always happened in the comics,” he added.
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Iron Man 2 (2010), Marvel Studios
When asked about a possible return, Downey informed GQ back in April 2021, “I have alighted, for now. Real world to save. But never say never.”
He also told Digital Spy in 2019, “We had to get off. We opted to, and knew it was part of the job to get off the bus while it rolled on to other destinations.”
“There’s something very sobering about it. I’m glad he and I will be there to welcome others as they retire their jerseys,” the Iron Man actor added.
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Iron Man 2 (2010), Marvel Studios
What do you make of the Russo’s reaction to Downey possibly returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
