The Russo Brothers Shoot Down Robert Downey Jr. ‘Iron Man’ Rumors

Will Robert Downey Jr. ever suit up as Iron Man again? The Russo Brothers do not seem to think so. 

During the Sands: International Film Festival, the Avengers Endgame directing duo commented on the idea of Marvel reviving Tony Stark in an upcoming film. Deadline reported their comments. “I don’t know how they would do it,” Anthony Russo questioned “I don’t know what the road to that would be.” Joe Russo added, “I mean, we closed that book, so it would be up to them to figure out how to reopen it.”

Five years after the premiere of Avengers Endgame and the death of Downey Jr.’s Iron Man character, Marvel fans demand his return. Even Robert Downey Jr. commented on the idea while promoting his Oscar-winning turn in last summer’s Oppenheimer. Downey Jr. said he would suit up in a heartbeat when asked about returning during an Esquire cover story. “Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA. 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.”

Despite Downey’s bets, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige also seems hesitant to bring back Iron Man. “We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”

Still, fans speculate on how Marvel could return to the Armored Avenger without undercutting the finality of his death. Many theorize that a multiversal variant of Iron Man could appear in Avengers: Secret Wars. Bringing back dead characters through the multiverse is not unheard of in the Marvel Cinematic Universe already. Avengers Endgame laid the groundwork for Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief to return as a variant in the acclaimed Disney+ series Loki. The upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine seems to follow in Loki’s footsteps with its return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine after that character’s supposed death in Logan.

Marvel Studios has promised that Wolverine’s return will not undercut the emotionality of his death in Logan. Perhaps they are planning a similar return for not only Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, but Scarlet Johannsen’s Black Widow and Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers/Captain America as well. We shall see when Avengers Secret Wars releases in a few years.