Summary
Robert Downey Jr. might finally come back to theMarvel Cinematic Universein the next few years, as recent updates make hisIron Manreturn the closest it has been since 2019.RDJ was responsible for starting the MCU with 2008’sIron Man. After turning in an electric performance as Tony Stark in the film, Downey would become the face of the franchise, leading anIron Man movie trilogy, four Avengers films, and playing key roles in Captain America and Spider-Man’s stories in the MCU. After more than a decade, Iron Man died inAvengers: Endgame.
The MCU has changed a lot since Iron Man’s death. Both Downey and Chris Evans left the franchise, taking away the MCU’s two fan-favorite stars. That led to the debut of several new characters since the start of the Multiverse Saga. However,the MCU has been going through a rough few years without its biggest stars, with the franchise facing the worst criticism it has ever since 2008’sIron Manstarted the MCU. Thankfully, it seems like Marvel’s biggest hero might be returning, as RDJ’s role infuture MCU movieshas become more likely five years after he left.
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Robert Downey Jr. Is Open To Returning As Iron Man
The Actor’s Comments Raise Hopes For Tony Stark’s Return
RDJ recently received the biggest award of his career, winning Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards for his role as Lewis Strauss in director Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimer. Speaking toVarietyin 2023 about jumping from the MCU toOppenheimer,Downey seemed concerned that his time as Iron Man could have hurt his ability to play other characters, saying, “You start to wonder if a muscle you have hasn’t atrophied.” The actor also said that, withOppenheimer, he “regained [his] connection with a more purist approach to making movies,” in reference toOppenheimer’s practical effects versus the MCU’s green screens.
Despite those comments making it look like RDJ was ready to leave the MCU behind and go for projects similar toOppenheimer, after the actor’s Oscar win,Downey is open to returning as Iron Man. Recently, the Tony Stark actor made his chances of returning as the character the highest they have been since Iron Man’s death inAvengers: Endgame.Downey revealed that the Iron Man role is in his DNA, saying, “I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea.” With Downey’s new stance and recent MCU developments, Iron Man’s return becomes likely.
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The MCU’s Shifted Focus On Franchises And Sequels Make A Return More Tangible
Iron Man Can Perfectly Fit The New MCU Plan
The MCU’s Phase 4 was the most criticized of the franchise by far. It was the first chapter of the franchise without Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow, and its problems show how Marvel has failed to replace its biggest stars. Phase 5 has also been hit-or-miss so far, and the MCU’s Multiverse Saga woes have led to key changes to how Marvel Studios operates.Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed the MCU’s new focus, with the shared universe focusing on sequels and franchises going forward, which contrasts with the recent introduction of several new MCU heroes.
Bringing back RDJ as Iron Man perfectly fits this new direction for the MCU.There is no bigger brand connected to Marvel Studios than Iron Manin terms of his importance to the franchise, and as such, Downey returning for one or both of the next Avengers movies — and perhaps even the long-requestedIron Man 4— could fit Marvel’s new focus on franchises and sequels. With fewer MCU movies and series being released each year now, Iron Man emerges as the perfect candidate to anchor an entire year of the franchise if Downey returns to the role.
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RDJ’s Iron Man Return After The Multiverse Saga Would Be Way Harder To Do Right
The MCU Could Look Very Different
The Multiverse Saga is the best place for RDJ to return as Iron Man. 2027’sAvengers: Secret Warswill mark the end of this chapter of the MCU.By then, Downey will be 62 years old. Marvel would be pushing it too far to bring back RDJ as Tony Stark at such an age after missing the perfect way to bring Iron Man back without messing with his emotionalAvengers: Endgamesacrifice.
Thanks to the multiverse,RDJ could return as an Iron Man variant, bringing some novelty and keeping Tony Stark’s MCU legacy safe. After the end of the Multiverse Saga, it is unlikely that the multiverse will be used as much as it has been or at all. Besides,an MCU reboot is rumored to happen afterAvengers: Secret Wars. With a possible new actor playing Iron Man, Downey’s return to the MCU would become too convoluted, meaning it must be now or never, and thanks to the actor’s recent comments,Iron Man’s return in the Multiverse Saga is looking likely.
Iron Man
Cast
Iron Man is the first film in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man after he is kidnapped and discovers terrorists are using weapons developed by Stark Industries. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Tony’s love interest Pepper Potts alongside Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan and Jeff Bridges as the villainous Obadiah Stane.
Iron Man 2
The third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 2, is an action-superhero film that occurs six months after the original film’s events. After outing himself as the heavy metal superhero known as Iron Man, Tony Stark goes to great lengths to avoid demands from the government for his tech. But, unfortunately, the technology Tony used to save his life is beginning to impact his health inversely - just in time for a man named Ivan Vanko to arrive, who creates his version of the Iron Man tech to settle a decades-long score with Howard Stark’s son.
Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 pits genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark (Iron Man) against the Mandarin, an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his world destroyed by his mysterious antagonist, he embarks on a dangerous quest to find those responsible. His journey will test his character at every turn. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him and determine whether or not the suit makes the man or if Tony himself is the hero.
