According to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, Robert Downey Jr. will never return as Iron Man. Speaking to Vanity Fair about Tony Stark’s death, Feige said, “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.” Feige was echoing comments made by Downey in 2020 when he told the Hindustan Times, “I’ve done all I could with that character and can do other things now.”
Of course, in the world of comic book movies, anything is possible and studios aren’t always terribly forthcoming about what’s happening behind the scenes. The Marvel multiverse is already well established, and “Deadpool 3” will officially introduce time travel to the franchise. So if plans change, the tools are already there to bring Tony back from the dead.
Considering the struggles Marvel movies have faced recently, both critically and commercially, going back to the character that kicked everything off could reinvigorate fan interest. With audiences suffering from superhero fatigue, Downey’s return could serve as a reminder of when comic book movies were less exhausting.
