Today, October 17, 2023, is officially the day that Tony Stark dies. That's according to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's official timeline, anyway!
When Avengers: Endgame was released in 2019, little did we know that a global pandemic was on the horizon and, on a less serious note, even the end of the DCEU was looming. In fact, when the movie jumped from 2018 to 2023, the latter felt like it was a long, long way away.
Well, here we are and the internet is now mourning Iron Man all over again. As you'll no doubt recall, the Armored Avenger outsmarted Thanos and subsequently used the Infinity Stones to snap him and his army out of existence. With that, Earth-616 was saved...but at the cost of Tony's life (using the Infinity Stones nearly killed Thanos, so for a human, the consequences were deadly).
Spider-Man: Far From Home dealt with the fallout from Iron Man's demise, but it won't be until Ironheart and Armor Wars that we learn more about the impact the hero's sacrifice has had on the wider MCU.
As for Robert Downey Jr., he's moved on to other projects, including an Oscar-worthy performance in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. Rumours persist that the actor will eventually reprise the role of Iron Man, albeit for what's likely to be a brief final send-off in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Since Avengers: Endgame was released, many fans have argued that the MCU's quality has declined. If so, it's not something which can be blamed on Iron Man's absence. However, did Marvel Studios make a mistake by killing its most iconic and beloved Avenger? (not to mention its biggest box office draw)
That's a question we're giving you the opportunity to answer in the poll below! We love you 3000, Tony...
The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to twenty-two films, Avengers: Endgame.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the movie features an epic ensemble which includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Jon Favreau, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Josh Brolin.
For a time, Avengers: Endgame was the highest-grossing movie ever released with $2.799 billion at the worldwide box office. However, Avatar's re-release during the pandemic saw that return to the top spot.
Avengers: Endgame is now streaming on Disney+.