Summary

  • Downey Jr. is open to returning as Tony Stark in the MCU due to the character's importance to him.
  • Options for his return could involve playing a Tony variant from the multiverse or utilizing time travel.
  • It doesn't seem unlikely that Marvel Studios will bring Downey Jr. back in some capacity for the end of The Multiverse Saga - probably for a brief cameo.

Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. shares whether or not he would be open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. As Marvel Studios is going forward with The Multiverse Saga, various characters have been reimagined as variants across different universes. However, when it comes to filling the shoes of Iron Man in The Multiverse Saga after The Infinity Saga, the MCU has yet to formally land on someone to take the reins the same way Tony did throughout his run in the franchise.

In a new feature piece for ending in Avengers: Endgame. For Downey Jr., Iron Man is "too integral a part of my DNA," as he shared the following about coming back as the beloved Avenger:

Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me. And look, I always say, ‘Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige.’ It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.

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Every Way Robert Downey Jr. Can Return As Iron Man In The MCU

Given that they will not resurrect Iron Man after his death at the end of Avengers: Endgame, they would have to tackle a potential return for Downey Jr. in other ways. One of the obvious solutions would be to have him play a Tony variant from the multiverse, exploring what his life looks like in a parallel world. From an acting and writing standpoint, it would also give Downey Jr. something refreshing where the MCU could tackle Iron Man in a new light.

However, if they really wanted to revisit the Iron Man from Earth-199999, there is still the element of time travel that they could easily use for the sake of nostalgia. As long as it doesn't undo his sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame, that would be the only reasonable way to bring Downey Jr. back as his original version of Iron Man. However, time travel hasn't been as heavily used in recent MCU movies, which is why they would likely go the multiverse route for Downey Jr.

At the end of the day, it feels obvious that Kevin Feige will bring Downey Jr. back in some capacity towards the end of The Multiverse Saga. With Avengers: Secret Wars being rumored to serve as a soft reboot for the MCU, The Multiverse Saga would likely be the last time that Downey Jr. could return to the franchise, especially if they end up recasting the role after this arc. For now, time will tell how Marvel Studios will feature Downey Jr. as Iron Man again in the MCU.

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Marvel Cinematic Universe
Created by
Kevin Feige
TV Shows
Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Vision Quest

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount's Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

Source: Esquire Magazine