AVENGERS: ENDGAME Directors On Potential Robert Downey Jr. MCU Return: "We Closed That Book"

AVENGERS: ENDGAME Directors On Potential Robert Downey Jr. MCU Return: "We Closed That Book"

Despite Robert Downey Jr. keeping an open mind about a potential return as Tony Stark, The Russo Brothers seem less sure about the prospect of resurrecting the iconic character...

By MarkCassidy - Apr 27, 2024 12:04 PM EST
Filed Under: Avengers: Endgame

In what will surely go down as one of the most emotional, iconic moments in comic book movie history, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) made the ultimate sacrifice during the climactic battle of Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame, giving his own life in order to defeat Thanos and ensure the survival of Earth's population.

Since then, rumors that Downey Jr. might be set to return to the MCU have persisted, and the actor definitely sounded open to the possibility during a recent interview with Esquire.

“Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA,” Downey told the mag when asked if he’d return to the MCU. “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.”

If Downey Jr. was to reprise the role, it would most likely be as a Variant, but some fans still feel that this would cheapen the original Stark's death - and it sounds like the filmmakers who directed the scene in question would agree.

Joe and Anthony Russo were asked about the actor's comments during an interview with Total Film, and didn't sound particularly optimistic about reviving the hero.

“I don’t know how they would do it,” Anthony said. “I don’t know what the road to that would be [laughs].” Joe added, “I mean we closed that book so it would be up to them to figure out how to reopen it.”

It's worth noting that Kevin Feige appears to feel the same way about bringing Tony Stark back.

“We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige told Vanity Fair last year. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”

What do you think? Will we see Robert Downey Jr. back in the MCU as Tony Stark at some point? Do you think it's a smart move? Be sure to drop us a comment down below.

"Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the remaining Avengers -- Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Bruce Banner -- must figure out a way to bring back their vanquished allies for an epic showdown with Thanos -- the evil demigod who decimated the planet and the universe."

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BeNice123
BeNice123 - 4/27/2024, 12:29 PM
All i can say is… if you cant bring him back, you will never make any money Disney/Marvel. Plain and simple.
BeNice123
BeNice123 - 4/27/2024, 12:38 PM
@BeNice123 - they should have never killed him off.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 4/27/2024, 12:46 PM
@BeNice123 - 100% they never should have killed them off. Black Widow was enough of a sacrifice, or maybe another character who doesnt add anything. RDJ literally carried the mcu
Matchesz
Matchesz - 4/27/2024, 12:51 PM
Since ironman started it all and he’s the only one without any actual superpowers it was interesting seeing the entire mcu unfolded through his eyes
dragon316
dragon316 - 4/27/2024, 4:48 PM
@Matchesz - no superpowers black widow and Hawkeye don’t count? Falcon
Matchesz
Matchesz - 4/27/2024, 5:02 PM
@dragon316 - they skilled assassins and could take out tony stark without his suit I would think, falcon lifted a swat van without his arms popping off
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 4/27/2024, 9:10 PM
@Matchesz - True but there is also Rhodey, Fury, Starlord, Antman (Scott and Hank), Wasp (Hope at least, questionable with Janet), Stature, almost everyone in Wakanda, Riri, Yelena, Red Dagger and a whole host of other supporting characters who have taken on heroic roles in various films/shows (such as almost everyone at the TVA). So arguments can be made why some would have an advantage sans tech over Tony but he isn't the only one who is sans superpowers even if he has a legit claim on having been a lynchpin with Cap for the infinity saga.

RDJ was undoubtedly great as Stark and having a human in power armor (along with his genius) was great to have on a team (plus was the start of it all) but never considered him irreplaceable as a character even if he may be tough to replace. Time will tell if any they add in the future will come close to being the glue that holds it all together like Cap/Stark but with the F4 and all the mutants coming it is possible even if non of the current list are able to adequatly be elevated to being as good going forward.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/27/2024, 12:34 PM
I wouldn’t mind him coming back as a Superior Iron Man-esque variant because RDJ being an evil Tony would be delicious!!.

User Comment Image

However , keep the MCU Tony dead because he had a good arc and it was a well done ending for the character so let’s not nullify that.

I don’t like the revolving door that is death in the comics and would prefer we not bring that over into the movies aswell.
Arthorious
Arthorious - 4/27/2024, 1:50 PM
@TheVisionary25 - personally I think they should keep away from variant versions unless they have a very compelling story. Like if DC had a solid universe and they did a Flashpoint movie it would work because the variants are the result of Barry doing something for himself, saving his mom. And he learned a powerful lesson from that.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 4/27/2024, 3:34 PM
@TheVisionary25 - TBH after having thought about, although not against a Variant turning up for a one off film like Wolverine is for D&W or Prof X for MoM, I tend to think the closest they should come to doing a Variant Tony should be someone in an iconic Stark Armor to get the reaction but then isn't and instead they have that kid from Iron Man 3 or an adult version of his daughter (time displaced or Variant) who could be alongside Pepper as Rescue but NOT Tony.

I'm not against nostalgia stuff if handled well but think Tony is just too big to touch after how central he was to the Infinity Saga and how pivotal his death was at the end of that. It would need too much to make bringing him back work to risk going there in my view however even if they do he shouldn't stick around for more than just the one film (as in secret wars) and not be rebooted and a regular in the next saga at all.

We don't need a specific character to be a lynchpin, they just haven't fully landed finding the right one to be it yet. This fixation on a character who admitedly worked well for the infinity saga but prior to that was never REALY an A-lister is odd to me, with mutants and F4 being added in and all the characters they could intro there are ample other characters who could take the lynchpin roles of Cap and Stark.
PantherKing
PantherKing - 4/27/2024, 12:36 PM
See this was the thing with “tHe McU has no consequences” talk. Now that characters are dead people want them back smh
RitoRevolto
RitoRevolto - 4/27/2024, 1:30 PM
@PantherKing - Funny how that works, ain't it?
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 4/27/2024, 12:40 PM

Iron-Man...must come back.
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AC1
AC1 - 4/27/2024, 12:42 PM
I could see RDJ making a one-off return for Secret Wars as either a time-displaced MCU-616 Iron Man from some time between Infinity War and Endgame OR as a variant from another timeline kinda like we've seen with some of the other Tom Hiddleston Loki variants or even what they're implying is the case with Hugh Jackman's comeback as Wolverine. But I can't see it being a permanent resurrection of the character, and it'd be a mistake for them to try that at this point.
jj2112
jj2112 - 4/27/2024, 12:47 PM
@AC1 - Yes, I could see that happening like Busiek did with Cap in Avengers Forever, but it's not gonna happen.
kg8817
kg8817 - 4/28/2024, 9:02 AM
@AC1 - All they need to do is time travel to the point just after they all try to get the stones back in Endgame. Because it would create stakes when there shouldn’t be any since he’s technically dead.

Explain to that Tony the situation without telling him he dies in the Endgame final battle, but tell him his actions creating the mobius strip through the Quantum Realm leads to universes and alternate realities merging and worlds dying. But that it’s still the right action to take, it’s just their time to fix it. Have Tony quip with the Avengers characters and them be sullen and putting on brave faces for him. Once Secret Wars is over, they return him right back the way Cap returns the stones.

By that point though he’ll have figured out that he doesn’t survive whatever comes next and makes the I love you 3000 video for Morgan, and now he has solid reasoning that he tells Cap “you mess with time it tends to mess back. You’ll see”.
JonC
JonC - 4/29/2024, 12:37 PM
@AC1 - He built AIs that can fly suits... i don't see why he couldn't have incorporated himself into one of these AIs to do something similar... yes, he's dead, but he could participate in a way and hopefully quite unexpectedly to save the day, even if in just a little way.
EDITH = Even Dead, I'm the Hero.
I don't see why that wouldn't extend to an AI.
He still wanted a suit of armor around the world, didn't he?
Brentwo19
Brentwo19 - 4/27/2024, 12:45 PM
"To bring this character back after such a poetic ending would cheapen his death."
This is being nonchalantly reported after half the world population just got done jizzing all over the return of Jackman's Wolverine. He's DEAD. He died beautifully, intentionally, and after a good long run in the franchise. You want chocolate ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? F*** you, you can't have it. Deal with it.
Skestra
Skestra - 4/27/2024, 12:52 PM
@Brentwo19 - User Comment Image
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/27/2024, 12:58 PM
@Brentwo19 - I get ya but I think people are more ok with that since it seems to not be the Fox version but another variant that happens to look like Jackman entirely

I wouldn’t mind a one off appearance like that for RDJ but to just bring him back as a regular wouldn’t be good imo
bobevanz
bobevanz - 4/27/2024, 12:45 PM
You can absolutely reboot the character after Secret Wars in your new universe with Mutants. Don't ever bring RDJ back
xfan320
xfan320 - 4/27/2024, 12:46 PM
RDJ comes back as the douchey, know-it-all version of Stark to make Reed Richards look even better.
marvel72
marvel72 - 4/27/2024, 3:56 PM
@xfan320 - Nope Shuri,Cassie and Riri will all be smarter than Reed Richards and Tony Stark.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 4/27/2024, 12:47 PM
Remember when this site had articles on return of RDJ? The rumors that came from canwegettoast? I remember.. Twitter bots are the worst
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