Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man Return Feels Closer Than Ever 5 Years After His MCU Ending
Summary
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's Iron Man started the MCU. Thankfully, it seems like Marvel's biggest hero might be returning, as RDJ's role in future MCU movies has become more likely five years after he left.
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Related Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Ranked Worst To Best Over 15 years and 33 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have redefined blockbuster cinema. But how do all the films stack up?
Robert Downey Jr. Is Open To Returning As Iron Man The Actor's Comments Raise Hopes For Tony Stark's Return Close 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's Oppenheimer. Speaking to Variety in 2023 about jumping from the MCU to Oppenheimer, 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, with Oppenheimer, he "regained [his] connection with a more purist approach to making movies," in reference to Oppenheimer'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 to Oppenheimer, 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 in Avengers: 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.
![]()
Related What Every Original Avenger Actor Has Said About Returning In Future MCU Movies Considering they played such a pivotal role in the MCU, there"s great interest in the return of the original Avengers actors to the franchise.
The MCU's Shifted Focus On Franchises And Sequels Make A Return More Tangible Iron Man Can Perfectly Fit The New MCU Plan Close 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 Man in 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-requested Iron 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.
![]()
Related Why Iron Man 4 Never Happened In The MCU Robert Downey Jr."s Tony Stark kickstarted the MCU and defined its early years, so why did Marvel Studios never move forward with Iron Man 4?
RDJ’s Iron Man Return After The Multiverse Saga Would Be Way Harder To Do Right The MCU Could Look Very Different Close The Multiverse Saga is the best place for RDJ to return as Iron Man. 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars will 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 emotional Avengers: Endgame sacrifice.
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 after Avengers: 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 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.
Director Jon Favreau Release Date May 2, 2008 Writers Matt Holloway , Art Marcum , Hawk Ostby , Mark Fergus Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Jeff Bridges , gwyneth paltrow , Terrence Howard , Leslie Bibb , Shaun Toub , Clark Gregg , Paul Bettany Runtime 126 minutes Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe , Iron Man Expand![]()
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.
Director Jon Favreau Release Date May 7, 2010 Writers Justin Theroux Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Mickey Rourke , Don Cheadle , gwyneth paltrow Runtime 124 minutes Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe , Iron Man Expand![]()
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.
Director Shane Black Release Date May 3, 2013 Writers Drew Pearce , Shane Black Cast Ben Kingsley , Guy Pearce , Paul Bettany , Don Cheadle , gwyneth paltrow , Jon Favreau , Robert Downey Jr. Runtime 130 Mins Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe Expand Upcoming Marvel Movies
Release Date
Deadpool & Wolverine
July 26, 2024
Captain America: Brave New World
February 14, 2025
Thunderbolts*
May 2, 2025
The Fantastic Four
July 25, 2025
Blade
November 7, 2025
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
May 1, 2026
Avengers: Secret Wars
May 7, 2027
[圖擷取自網路，如有疑問請私訊]
- RDJ's return as Iron Man to the MCU is more likely now after recent comments.
- Iron Man's return would align with the new focus on franchises and sequels in the MCU.
- The Multiverse Saga provides the best opportunity for RDJ to return as Iron Man without undoing Tony Stark's sacrifice.
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's Iron Man started the MCU. Thankfully, it seems like Marvel's biggest hero might be returning, as RDJ's role in future MCU movies has become more likely five years after he left.
Related Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Ranked Worst To Best Over 15 years and 33 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have redefined blockbuster cinema. But how do all the films stack up?Robert Downey Jr. Is Open To Returning As Iron Man The Actor's Comments Raise Hopes For Tony Stark's Return Close 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's Oppenheimer. Speaking to Variety in 2023 about jumping from the MCU to Oppenheimer, 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, with Oppenheimer, he "regained [his] connection with a more purist approach to making movies," in reference to Oppenheimer'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 to Oppenheimer, 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 in Avengers: 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.
Related What Every Original Avenger Actor Has Said About Returning In Future MCU Movies Considering they played such a pivotal role in the MCU, there"s great interest in the return of the original Avengers actors to the franchise.The MCU's Shifted Focus On Franchises And Sequels Make A Return More Tangible Iron Man Can Perfectly Fit The New MCU Plan Close 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 Man in 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-requested Iron 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.
Related Why Iron Man 4 Never Happened In The MCU Robert Downey Jr."s Tony Stark kickstarted the MCU and defined its early years, so why did Marvel Studios never move forward with Iron Man 4?RDJ’s Iron Man Return After The Multiverse Saga Would Be Way Harder To Do Right The MCU Could Look Very Different Close The Multiverse Saga is the best place for RDJ to return as Iron Man. 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars will 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 emotional Avengers: Endgame sacrifice.
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 after Avengers: 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 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.Director Jon Favreau Release Date May 2, 2008 Writers Matt Holloway , Art Marcum , Hawk Ostby , Mark Fergus Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Jeff Bridges , gwyneth paltrow , Terrence Howard , Leslie Bibb , Shaun Toub , Clark Gregg , Paul Bettany Runtime 126 minutes Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe , Iron Man Expand
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.Director Jon Favreau Release Date May 7, 2010 Writers Justin Theroux Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Mickey Rourke , Don Cheadle , gwyneth paltrow Runtime 124 minutes Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe , Iron Man Expand
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.Director Shane Black Release Date May 3, 2013 Writers Drew Pearce , Shane Black Cast Ben Kingsley , Guy Pearce , Paul Bettany , Don Cheadle , gwyneth paltrow , Jon Favreau , Robert Downey Jr. Runtime 130 Mins Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe Expand Upcoming Marvel Movies
Release Date
Deadpool & Wolverine
July 26, 2024
Captain America: Brave New World
February 14, 2025
Thunderbolts*
May 2, 2025
The Fantastic Four
July 25, 2025
Blade
November 7, 2025
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
May 1, 2026
Avengers: Secret Wars
May 7, 2027
[圖擷取自網路，如有疑問請私訊]
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