If there’s one thing comic book fans can agree on, it’s that just because a character is dead doesn’t mean they can’t return for more adventures. There could be a prequel, a miraculous resurrection, a version from another universe… there’s no limit, really. So when Robert Downey Jr. starts talking about maybe playing Tony Stark again, it’s worth paying attention.
Iron Man kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we now know it in early May 2008; Downey’s portrayal of the character instantly made him a fan favorite, something that carried through 10 Iron Man, Avengers, and Avengers-adjacent movies. That all ended in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, when Iron Man sacrificed himself to save everyone from Thanos. There was a funeral and everything! But five years on—and 16 years after first playing the character—Downey, who just picked up an Oscar for Oppenheimer, says he’s not ruling out a return.
Speaking to Esquire (via Deadline), the actor was asked if he’d ever put Stark’s high-tech armor on again to bring the character back. “Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me,” he said, before shouting out the head of Marvel Studios. “And look, I always say, Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
With Marvel currently in a state of figuring out its own future after some recent bumps in the blockbuster road, maybe figuring out a way to bring back one of its most beloved heroes—something that’s been part of rumors in the past—would make sense. What do you think: would you want to see Downey return to the MCU?
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