Robert Downey Jr. first played Tony Stark in 2008's Iron Man, a movie which turns 16 this year. He'd go on to reprise the role in several MCU movies, ultimately bidding farewell to the Armoured Avenger in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
It's been five years since the actor snapped his fingers and bid farewell to the role. Since then, Downey has won an Oscar for his work in Oppenheimer and all eyes are on what he does next.
Surprisingly, it seems an MCU return is somewhere on his list (and these comments come just hours after Hawkeye actor Jeremy Renner also expressed an interest in reuniting with his fellow original Avengers).
Talking to Jodie Foster for Variety, Downey was asked if he'd consider suiting up again. "It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am," the actor responded.
"I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea. Between 'Nyad' and ['Night Country'] and, for me, 'Oppenheimer' and then 'Sympathizer,' it really is crazy because we look pretty good. I was actually looking at the stills we were taking, making sure: 'Do we still look kind of OK?' I’m like, 'We look pretty good."
At this point, Downey reprising the role in Avengers: Secret Wars seems inevitable. However, he'll likely play a Variant based on past comments from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige.
"We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again," Feige said of Tony's death in Avengers: Endgame. "We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way."
"Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA," Downey said in April of a possible return. "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."
It's previously been reported that Earth-838's villainous Iron Man will come to Earth-616 seeking revenge for what happened to the Illuminati. Whether that's the plan remains to be seen, especially with the next Avengers movies likely in a state of flux.
What role would you like to see Iron Man play in the Multiverse Saga? Let us know in the comments section.