Robert Downey Jr. Reportedly in Black Widow

Casting for Black Widow may not necessarily be done just quite yet. A new report from Deadline suggests Robert Downey Jr. will be appearing one last time as Tony Stark in the Scarlet Johansson film hitting theaters next May. Yes, you read that right; in the piece about Marvel’s successes at Friday night’s Saturn Awards, the Hollywood trade dropped the nugget Downey is returning for at least one last go-around.

Before you get too excited, don’t forget another Hollywood trade erroneously reported earlier this year Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown would be appearing in Chloé Zhao’s The Eternals. Though Richard Madden says there are casting choices that have yet to be announced, it seems Marvel Studios would want to announce something of that magnitude at a get-together like San Diego Comic-Con or D23 Expo, two events which have already passed.

Should Downey appear, there’s not really a story that makes too much sense organically, at least as it stands now. Black Widow is set to take place during the time between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, a time Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff and the rest of the Secret Avengers were on the lam for violating the Sokovia Accords.

That said, there’s always the opportunity for a cameo role the actor has already filmed — think Chris Evan’s cameo roles in both Thor: The Dark World and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Marvel Studios likely has plenty of Tony Stark/Iron Man footage in the can cut from other projects they could somehow work into the film or maybe…just maybe…the actor had already started missing his role and came back for some more MCU action. Either way, it’d be poetic if Downey’s last actual MCU appearance comes in the same film that’ll likely serve as Johansson’s bow from the cinematic universe, especially after the actor joined the MCU in Stark’s Iron Man 2.

Black Widow hits theaters May 1, 2020.

Future Marvel Studios projects include The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in Fall 2020, The Eternals on November 6, 2020, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on February 12, 2021, WandaVision in Spring 2021, Loki in Spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, What If…? in Summer 2021, Hawkeye in Fall 2021, and Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021, and Black Panther 2 on May 6, 2022. Marvel Studios Disney+ series without release dates include Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk.

What other surprises do you think are in store for Black Widow? What other characters do you think should pop up? Share your thoughts in the comments below or by tweeting me at @AdamBarnhardt to chat all things MCU!