If you are a fan of Robert Downey Jr. you were likely devastated during Avengers: Endgame when we all said “I love you 3000” for the last time. While Iron Man is one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his loss was tragic, some have held out hope as we have seen Marvel revive characters time and time again through the Multiverse.
Credit: Marvel Studios
For a while, many thought that Robert would be able to return to Marvel at some point through the Multiverse, or as a different “variant”, especially with the deep dive into the Multiverse that we have seen through Loki on Disney+. Now, Kevin Feige is finally giving Marvel fans the answer to the quesiton they have been waiting for.
Who is Kevin Feige?
Kevin Feige is a prominent American film producer and president of Marvel Studios, renowned for his significant contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Feige joined Marvel in 2000 and became a key architect of the studio’s cinematic success. With a keen vision and strategic planning, he played a pivotal role in overseeing the interconnected narrative of the MCU, introducing iconic characters like Iron Man, Thor, and the Avengers to the big screen.
Credit: Marvel/Sony
Feige’s innovative approach transformed Marvel Studios into an entertainment powerhouse, with numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films under his leadership. His ability to weave intricate storylines and connect diverse characters has redefined the landscape of modern superhero cinema.
Iron Man‘s MCU Takeover
The first Iron Man movie, released in 2008, marked the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and played a pivotal role in shaping the future of superhero films. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film starred Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Gwyneth Paltrow as Virginia “Pepper” Potts, Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane, and Terrence Howard as James “Rhodey” Rhodes.
Credit: Marvel Studios
The plot revolves around Tony Stark, a genius billionaire and weapons manufacturer, who is captured by terrorists while demonstrating his latest weapon in Afghanistan. Forced to build a weapon of mass destruction, Stark instead constructs a powered suit of armor to escape. Back in the United States, he refines the suit and decides to use his technology to fight against those who misuse it. Stark’s transformation into Iron Man sets the stage for his evolution from a self-centered playboy to a superhero dedicated to protecting the world.
The film was a massive critical and commercial success, grossing over $585 million worldwide. Robert Downey Jr.’s charismatic portrayal of Tony Stark received widespread acclaim, and the movie’s post-credits scene teasing the formation of the Avengers generated excitement among fans, setting the stage for the interconnected MCU. Iron Man’s success laid the foundation for the subsequent films in the franchise, establishing Marvel Studios as a dominant force in the film industry.
Credit: Marvel Studios
Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man in the following MCU movies:
Iron Man (2008)
The Incredible Hulk (2008) — Cameo in the post-credits scene
Iron Man 2 (2010)
The Avengers (2012)
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Would Robert Downey Jr. Return to the MCU?
As we know, in the quest to defeat Thanos (Josh Brolin), a significant sacrifice was necessary to impart a sense of permanence. Tony Stark bid an emotional farewell, marking the conclusion of his ten-year tenure as Iron Man. This departure evoked poignant reactions from both the characters within the narrative and the audience outside of it.
Regarding the possibility of Iron Man’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Robert Downey Jr. has previously expressed that he feels he has explored every facet of the character: “I’ve done all I could with that character and can do other things now. Now, being middle-aged, you start looking at the back nine and realize this is all part of the journey, and things end. I am fortunate and eternally grateful to have wound up where I have.”
Credit: Marvel Studios
That being said, in a different interview on same subject, the actor stated, “Well… I have alighted, for now. Real world to save. But never say never.”
How Can the Multiverse Help?
As we mentioned, the Multiverse has typically seemed like the best way to bring someone back from the dead with Marvel.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the concept of the multiverse introduces the notion that alternate versions of familiar characters exist in parallel universes. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Doctor Strange encounters a universe where he perishes in the battle against Thanos, and a version of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) lives a domestic life with her two sons.
Credit: Marvel Studios
Furthermore, an evil iteration of Doctor Strange, known as “Sinister Strange,” appears in one of these alternate universes.
The multiverse concept took center stage in the 2019 film Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Jake Gyllenhaal’s character, Mysterio, claimed to be from a different universe, thrust into the primary MCU following Thanos’ snap. However, it was later revealed that Mysterio was deceiving everyone – he was a disgruntled former employee of Tony Stark, not from an alternate universe. Despite the deception, the film planted the seed that the multiverse is a reality, opening up the possibility of characters from diverse universes crossing over into the main MCU world, in which Loki would expand upon through his adventures in the TVA.
Kevin Feige Speaks Out
So, are the rumors true? Kevin Feige is ready to settle the debate.
During a recent interview with Vanity Fair, he spoke out on the illustrious question: will Robert Downey Jr. return?
Credit: Inside the Magic
After 10 films, Downey’s Iron Man made his exit in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, still a high-water mark for the series. Marvel has a reputation for resurrecting characters who seemingly meet their ends, but Feige says that won’t happen to Stark. “We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige says. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Downey was reluctant even to do reshoots and redo a single line of dialogue, Stark’s last, for Endgame. “We’d already said tearful goodbyes on the last day of shooting. Everybody had moved on emotionally,” Joe Russo says. “We promised him it would be the last time we made him do it—ever.”
Credit: D23
“That was a difficult thing for him to do, to come back to pick up that line,” director Anthony Russo adds. “When he did come back, we were shooting on a stage directly opposite where he auditioned for Tony Stark. So his last line as Tony Stark was shot literally a couple hundred feet from his original audition that got him the role.”
Feige did say he did not want to undo Iron Man’s death “in any way”, and a Multiverse revival would do just that. So, that shows that the rumors of Downey returning one day are false.
Fans React, Dispel Feige
DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) also shared the article, where hundreds commented on Marvel doing the right thing by not having Downey return.
Kevin Feige says they will not resurrect Iron Man — “We are going to keep that moment & not touch that moment again.”
“We all worked very hard for many years to get to that. We would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Kevin Feige says they will not resurrect Iron Man — “We are going to keep that moment & not touch that moment again.”
“We all worked very hard for many years to get to that. We would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
(Source: https://t.co/rh3J0mC8th) pic.twitter.com/tlQTHBRWcE
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 3, 2023
The comments were flooded with remarks like, “Huge W and common sense ?”, “Common sense prevailed at last”, and “good decision… his ending was perfect anyways”.
Some were very skeptical of the wording used, “I don’t think y’all understand the semantics going on here…He just said they wouldn’t resurrect him. Not that they wouldn’t use RDJ as Iron Man again. It’s the exact same principle w/ Logan in Deadpool 3. He died in Logan. Their not touching that. He’s still being used again, though”.
So, it appears that there are a few that are not entirely satisfied with how Feige denounced the rumors.
Credit: Marvel Studios
What aids that is that during a 2020 interview with the Joe Rogan Experience, he said that he wants to do other things while also being Iron Man, he said, “There would have to be a super compelling argument and a series of events that made it obvious. But the other thing is, I wanna do other stuff.” From this, while Downey is not jumping to return, we can see he is not against it.
So, while Feige is saying he will not return, it seems that with his wording and Downey’s open-minded mentality on returning, there could always be a way for Feige to go back on his word.
Would you want to see Robert Downey Jr. return to the MCU?
Kevin Feige is speaking out on behalf of Marvel to talk about Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Read More