Robert Downey Jr. Ready to Suit Up as Iron Man Again

Could Downey’s return signify a change in the MCU?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been struggling lately. There are many possible reasons for this. Between the decision to involve lesser-known superheroes and a perceived quantity over a quality approach, the MCU has seen a decline in viewership in the past few years. The onslaught of spin-offs and direct to streaming series seems to be bogging down the entertainment juggernaut.

There have been so many Marvel films released recently that many people aren’t even aware of what the MCU Phase 5 is about. One possible solution to this problem may be to return to what made the MCU so popular in the first place: a slow trickle of well-thought-out films featuring established heroes leading to a climactic overarching plot.

The Avengers offered fans a fantastic conclusion to the Avengers Sage. But just because it features Iron Man's death doesn’t mean it has to be the end of his story. Marvel stories are filled with death defiance and alternate dimensions, so bringing back the original Avengers wouldn’t be that hard. This plan has been rumored for some time now, but getting cast members to reprise their iconic roles seemed like an impossible task.

However, in a recent interview with Esquire, Robert Downey Jr. may have just given Marvel fans a glimpse of the future. Coming off his Oscar winning performance in Oppenheimer, some may think that Downey has outgrown the super suits and melodrama, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

“I Am Iron Man” - Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)

“It’s too integral a part of my DNA," Downey stated during the interview. "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.”

Now, it is important to note that Marvel's Studious president, Kevin Feige, has previously stated that they would never undo Iron Man's death. In an interview with Vanity Fair, he stated, "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.”

While that may be true, Marvel features an ever changing multiverse. So, they wouldn’t have to “undo” his death, they just need to grab a Tony Stark from a different dimension and throw him into the current plot.  It may not be the cleanest way to reintroduce the famed character but I don’t think the fans will mind.

There are currently two more Avengers films slated to be released in the near future. Avengers: Kang Dynasty is planned for a 2026 release date. While Avengers: Secret Wars will be released in 2027. Either of these could provide a great opportunity to bring the crime fighter back to the big screen.

Downey himself even stated that he didn’t plan on making a return to the character four years ago when he sat down on the Joe Rogan Podcast. "I feel like I've done all I could with that character," Downey said. "There'd have to be a super compelling argument in a series of events that made it obvious to it. But the other thing is, I want to do other stuff."

At this time, there is no concrete plan to bring Robert Downey Jr back for the role of Iron Man. All we have is speculation and a few rumors. However, if the Oscar winning actor did make a return to the MCU, it could cause a revitalization that the genre desperately needs. Besides, who doesn’t want more Iron Man in their life?