Summary

• Robert Downey Jr.'s willingness to return as Iron Man creates speculation over his potential MCU comeback.
• Iron Man's legacy continues through projects like Ironheart and Armor Wars, exploring different aspects of Tony Stark's impact.
• The idea of recasting the iconic character raises questions due to Downey Jr.'s long tenure.

Robert Downey Jr. recently shared that he would be willing to return to the emotional death in Avengers: Endgame is also one that needs to be handled with care. Tony Stark was integral to getting the MCU started, and his story seemingly came to the perfect conclusion. Of course, the decision to bring back Iron Man might not just be one made from a storytelling standpoint.

The MCU timeline has hit a few recent speed bumps, like the disappointing box office for The Marvels, and a largely underwhelming critical reception to each of its 2023 releases, except Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Marvel may very well be considering bringing Iron Man back as a reminder of the best the franchise has to offer, hoping to rekindle MCU interest. It is hard to deny that seeing Robert Downey Jr. return as Iron Man would be exciting, but whether it's likely is a different question - as well as when it might happen if it is indeed possible.

What Robert Downey Jr Has Said About Iron Man Returning To The MCU

Robert Downey Jr. Opened Up About Returning As Iron Man In A 2024 Interview

Robert Downey Jr. has made it very clear that he would be happy to return as Iron Man in the MCU. The actor discussed in an April 2024 interview how he felt like the role of Iron Man chose him, and has become a part of who he is. Ahead of his big Oscar win for Oppenheimer, Downey Jr. also called his work as Tony Stark some of the best acting he has ever done. It’s clear that he is attached to the role, and would likely welcome a chance to continue Tony’s story.

While Robert Downey Jr. is open to returning, he also understands the impact of Tony Stark’s Avengers: Endgame finale. Downey Jr. reportedly cried when he heard about Tony’s fate, saying that it was “f--cking awesome.” Downey Jr. would likely be as invested in keeping the impact of Tony’s original death, even if he does decide to return to the role.

Iron Man's Legacy Will Continue With 2 MCU Projects

Marvel Has Announced Ironheart And Armor Wars Projects

Though no plans to bring back Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man have been announced, Tony Stark’s legacy is still being felt in the MCU. Riri Williams, who appeared in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and will be the lead character in the Ironheart series, is in many ways a direct successor to Tony. She is also a genius inventor, though she lacks the resources Tony had, and she wears a similar suit of armor to Tony. One of the FBI agents that comes to arrest Riri even refers to her prototype as an Iron Man suit.

Marvel’s Armor Wars project will also be focused on the legacy of Iron Man but from a different perspective. Instead of looking at the heroes Tony inspired, the series will likely be focusing on the impact Tony’s creations have on the MCU. The comic book story it is named after focused on Stark technology being stolen, so it is likely the movie will have something to do with Iron Man technology falling into the wrong hands.

Armor Wars will seemingly harken back to Obediah Stane’s line about Tony giving the world its best weapon despite dedicating himself to getting rid of them. This story could show the darker side of Tony’s legacy, while Ironheart presents a more optimistic view of Iron Man’s impact on others. In this way, Iron Man is still a major part of the MCU the same way Steve Rogers still influenced the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, despite not appearing on-screen.

Where Iron Man Could Return In The MCU

With Robert Downey Jr. open to an MCU return, the question becomes where in the MCU could this happen? The easiest answer right now is definitely Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to feature cameos from a wide range of Marvel characters across multiple universes. It is also possible Tony left other recordings of himself like the one at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Downey Jr. could potentially cameo as a hologram recording in one of the Iron-Man-related projects, possibly ing the torch on to Riri Williams in Ironheart.

Will Iron Man 4 Ever Happen?

Right now, an Iron Man 4 seems unlikely. Back in 2019, Jon Favreau revealed that there were Robert Downey Jr. deflected a question about a possible Iron Man 4 in a joking way which seemed to indicate there were no real plans in place. While Downey Jr. could still return as Iron Man, it doesn’t seem like it will be in a standalone movie.

Should The MCU Recast Iron Man?

Marvel Recast Other Major Characters Like Hulk And War Machine

Although the MCU has recast major characters before, doing so with Iron Man wouldn’t be the same. Terrance Howard only appeared one time as Rhodey, and Edward Norton was only in a single Hulk movie. In contrast, Robert Downey Jr. was Iron Man for 11 years and was also the first major hero to appear in the MCU. Recasting Iron Man at this point would probably not work, unless it was a new version of Tony Stark.

Kevin Feige has previously said that Marvel won’t retcon Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame. That means, unless Iron Man comes back as an AI or hologram, any new appearances by Tony Stark will have to be a variant from another universe. This gives Marvel a way to recast Iron Man if they want, since it won’t be the same Tony that Robert Downey Jr. played. However, it would seem like a bit of a waste to do so if Robert Downey Jr. is willing to come back, given his immense popularity.

Another way Iron Man could return would be through the rumoured soft reboot of the MCU expected after Avengers: Secret Wars. However, changing Iron Man’s story might not fit into the statements that Kevin Feige has made about the reboot. Feige said that the idea would be to keep what worked and get rid of what didn’t. Since it’s clear that Feige thinks Iron Man’s original death worked well, he likely wouldn’t change it in the reboot or cast a new actor to play Tony Stark.

Robert Downey Jr.'s return as Iron Man also seems like it would fit better with Disney’s plans for the MCU going forward. CEO Bob Iger has said that he wants Marvel to rely more on sequels and known properties. If this is the case, it seems unlikely Marvel would want to recast one of its most popular characters, especially when the original actor is open to coming back. As such, it seems more likely that, if Iron Man is going to come back, so would Robert Downey Jr.