Avengers Directors Cast Doubt on Robert Downey Jr. Returning to Marvel

Former Iron Man and Avengers movie star Robert Downey Jr. turned a lot of Marvel fans’ heads earlier this year, when he seemingly left the door open for his possible return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Downey said in no uncertain terms that when it comes to playing Tony Stark, “It’s too integral a part of my DNA. 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.”

However, Downey’s Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame directors The Russo Bros. don’t agree that RDJ’s MCU return will happen. 

Total Film Magazine has an interview with the Russos where they explain why they don’t believe Robert Downey Jr. can make a return to the MCU.

 “I don’t know how they would do it. I don’t know what the road to that would be [laughs],” Anthony Russo said. 

Basically, The Russos feel like they closed the book on Tony Stark’s story in a permanent way. That said, Marvel is full of clever ways to get an actor back on screen (multiverse variant, clones, shapeshifter or android version of a character), and the Russos acknowledge that it would be Marvel Studios to sell RDJ’s return to fans: 

“I mean we closed that book so it would be up to them to figure out how to reopen it,” Joe Russo said.

As stated, The Russos helped Robert Downey Jr. cement his legacy in the MCU by directing him in three of its most acclaimed and successful movies. Avengers: Endgame was as epic a sendoff that any movie character (or actor) could hope for. Since then, Downey has seen the prestige side of his career rise to the level of his blockbuster work – culminating in an Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actor, for his role in Chris Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Clearly, the Russos are happy to see RDJ winning in his post-MCU era: 

“His Oscar win was huge. It’s amazing to live vicariously through Robert,” Joe Russo said. “You know, that experience for him is so profound, because of the journey he’s had. I mean, it’s one of the great stories of redemption. And he’s such a lovely person, such a hard-working person. He’s a generational actor, so that level of recognition for him, I think, was validation of his redemption arc.”

You can stream the MCU films on Disney+.