PremiumGlimmer of hope for Marvel fans! Robert Downey Jr. doesn't rule out comeback as Iron Man
Despite previous denials, Robert Downey Jr. is open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Last Updated: 01.16 PM, Apr 09, 2024
After launching the MCU in 2008 with Iron Man and continuing to star in it for eleven years until 2019's Avengers: Endgame, Robert Downey Jr. has no plans to leave the franchise. Despite Iron Man's death in that tentpole, speculations persist that Marvel is attempting to re-engage Downey. This is particularly true in light of the fact that the MCU is currently experiencing financial difficulties due to the failures of 2023 films like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels. Iron Man returning with Downey may definitely bring Marvel back to its blockbuster glory days.
Robert Downey Jr.'s approval for returning to the role of Iron Man
Esquire magazine posed the question of Downey's potential return to the MCU following his Oscar win for Oppenheimer last month. Without hesitation, the actor gave his approval. Downey expressed his delight, stating that the role was a natural fit for him. He added that never ever betting against Kevin Feige is something he stresses all the time. Bet on it, and one will lose, as all eyes are on him. No matter what, Feige will win every time.
Marvel Studios president Feige told Vanity Fair in December that Downey's Iron Man will not be returning because doing so would detract from his flawless farewell in Avengers: Endgame. They will preserve that moment and never revisit it, he declared at the time. They would never wish to magically undo all of their hard work that went into getting to that point.
In a January interview with Rob Lowe of the "Literally!" podcast, Downey said, "Not just yet" when asked if he had any new offers from Marvel.
Gwyneth Paltrow, who has worked with Downey on several Marvel projects, recalled how he would improvise lines of dialogue for each day of filming the Iron Man films in an interview for Esquire. Because of his talent for improvising, Paltrow eventually stopped bothering to learn her lines at all.
Gwyneth Paltrow's insights on Robert Downey Jr.'s improvisational talent
Downey would frequently tell Jon Favreau, "I'm not f*****g saying these lines," and then Paltrow and he would go into the director's trailer first thing in the morning to rewrite the lines. She also mentioned that he would improvise live while filming or in his trailer. Paltrow holds the belief that RDJ must infuse something with a sense of freshness to qualify it as alive; he accomplishes this by creating the illusion of recent creation. They penned countless well-known lines just ten minutes before their delivery.
In 2019's Avengers: Endgame, Paltrow and Downey made their final Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances. Paltrow played Pepper Potts in the three Iron Man films starring Downey as Tony Stark, as well as other Marvel features like Spider-Man: Homecoming and others. "Why do you need Pepper Potts without Iron Man?" Last year, Paltrow asked fans on Instagram in a Q&A, implying that her tenure with Marvel was likely coming to an end.