Though Avengers: Endgame seemed to close the book on Robert Downey Jr.’s time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Oscar winner is open to reprising Tony Stark/Iron Man.
In an interview with Esquire, Downey spoke briefly about whether or not he would ever return to the MCU in the future.
“Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me,” Downey told the publication. “And look, I always say, never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
Warning: Spoiler for Avengers: Endgame below.
Still, this isn’t confirmation that Downey is indeed returning, especially considering previous comments from Feige himself. After a Variety report in November claimed that Marvel Studios was exploring the possibility of bringing Downey and other members of the original Avengers team back for a new film, Feige revealed that the studio never wants to “magically undo” Iron Man’s death as it was shown in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
Downey played Tony Stark for 11 years in the MCU, serving as one of the OG Avengers alongside Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner. The role was huge for Downey, placing him back into blockbuster filmmaking and making him one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood for a time.
Downey, who recently won his first Oscar for his work in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, has been open about how much his time in the MCU meant to him. Last January, while appearing on Rob Lowe’s “Literally!” podcast, he said he felt some of his “best work” came in his performances as Tony Stark/Iron Man, but that those performances went “a little bit unnoticed” because of the films were part of the superhero genre.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
