Paramount/Courtesy The Everett Collection
Robert Downey Jr. has completed his role as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Kevin Feige saying the character will not be returning.
“We will treasure that moment and never touch that moment again,” Figi said. Vanity gallery In Downey Jr.’s profile. “We have all worked hard for many years to get there, and we would never want to magically undo that in any way.”
Downey Jr. last played the role in 2019 Avengers: Endgame When the superhero died. MCU fans hoping to somehow revive Tony Stark can forget about that.
Director Joe Russo added: “We actually said goodbye in tears on the last day of filming. Everyone was so moved emotionally. We promised him this would be the last time we would force him to do this, ever.”
Co-director Anthony Russo noted that for Downey Jr. it was “difficult” for him to say his final line as the superhero.
“When he came back, we were shooting on a stage directly across from where he auditioned for Tony Stark. So his last line as Tony Stark was shot a few hundred feet away from the original audition he got for the role,” Anthony said.
Downey Jr. has been the center of the MCU but Feige had to fight to get the actor cast in the role of Iron Man.
“It was purely because Marvel’s board of directors was nervous about putting all their chips in their future films on someone who had those legal problems in the past,” Feige said. “I wasn’t very good — and I’m still not very good — at taking no for an answer. But I also don’t beat my chest to try to get my way. I try to figure out ways to show others why we should go in a direction. That’s where the idea of a screen test came about.
Downey Jr. ended up landing the role of Tony Stark and will play the Marvel hero in 10 MCU films.