Robert Downey Jr. Reportedly Agrees to Iron Man Return in the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been fractured by the arrival of the multiverse – both on and off screen. Since Avengers: Endgame, the franchise seems have struggled to meet the expectations of fans, which were at an all-time high at the conclusion of the Infinity Saga. Now, a new rumor has suggested one of their greatest lost assets could be about to make a comeback in the form of Robert Downey Jr.‘s Iron Man.

There is not a day passes without outlandish rumors appearing online about what could be happening next in the biggest movie franchise in the world. This includes the introduction of obscure characters, new crossovers and the ever elusive Fantastic Four casting confirmation. While it is hard to differentiate the truth from the flights of fancy, there are occasionally rumors that seem to connect with more official reports, and this is the case with a new suggestion that Robert Downey Jr. is heading back to the MCU as Iron Man.

Internet scooper MyTimeToShineHello shared a post on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that Downey Jr. has already signed up to return to the MCU for a new project. While it does not give any further details on whether this will be as a variant of Iron Man or as his original character in a story that takes place in a branched multiverse reality, the claim comes hot on the heels of a detailed report by Variety suggesting a return for the original Avengers team.

Related: Why Bringing Back the Original Avengers Is a Bad Idea

Last week Variety published a report detailing the current predicament at Marvel Studios. From overworked visual effects artists, to declining box office results, the woes of the MCU are currently many, but they are a long way from being seen as a failure. However, with The Marvels tracking as one of the lowest earning movies of the entire franchise, it is clear that many believe something is just not working in the superhero franchise.

In Variety’s report, it was suggested that “talks” has been held with a view to bringing back the Avengers team that changed the world of superhero movies back in 2012. The report said:

“Sources say 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.” (That shouldn’t be a stumbling block — in comic books, beloved characters are often killed off, only to be resurrected thanks to the power of things like the multiverse.)”

Of course, all of this amounts to nothing until it is made official by Marvel Studios and should be taken with a pinch of salt. However, as pointed out by Variety’s report, the world of comic books is constantly retconning its own timelines and character stories, and there is no reason why this could not be done within the MCU. After all, Warner Bros. have been doing it for years with the continual reboots of Batman.

For now, Marvel fans that are still invested in the franchise as it is, can look forward to the release of The Marvels this Friday. You can check out the trailer for Captain Marvel’s return below.