The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a wildly popular franchise that extends to both TV and movie projects. We’re currently in the midst of Phase Five, and there are a number of highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies coming down the line. But some of the OG Avengers have retired, including Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr.. Tony had an epic death during Endgame, but fans are still hoping to see him miraculously reappear on the screen. And Marvel’s Mark Ruffalo has commented about RDJ possibly returning.
RDJ’s absence has definitely been felt throughout Phase Four and the start of Phase Five, with Tony’s death being referenced in various projects like Spider-Man: No Way Home. But with big concepts like the multiverse now in play, fans are hoping that Iron Man somehow returns to the MCU. Bruce Banner actor Mark Ruffalo appeared at the Emerald City Com-Con (via The Direct), where he was asked in a Q&A about what it’s like continuing on in the shared universe without Robert Downey Jr.. He shared a somewhat hopeful take on it all, saying it’s:
Sad, but there is a time machine. And there are alternate universes and realities, so anything could happen.
Some points were made. Time travel came into play during Avengers: Endgame, when the heroes traveled across the timeline to accrue the Infinity Stones and bring everyone back from The Snap. Add in the multiverse and there are a number of macguffins available to bring RDJ back to the MCU. Of course, there’s no indication that the 58 year-old actor has any interest in suiting back up.
Mark Ruffalo’s comments are no doubt going to give hope to the hardcore Marvel fandom who have been collectively holding their breath in hopes of another Tony Stark project. The shared universe started with the 2008 original Iron Man movie and he was a major presence until the ending of Avengers; Endgame. And with the last few phases of TV shows and movies building to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, there are countless theories about what the upcoming crossover event might entail.
While it’s only been a few years since RDJ hung up his armor for good, there have already been a number of Iron Man rumors circulating online. One such fan theory indicated that a variant version of Tony Stark was going to appear in Doctor Strange 2, possibly played by none other than Tom Cruise. But as we all saw, Tony wasn’t involved in the brutal Illuminati sequence of Sam Raimi’s sequel.
Given his long tenure playing Iron Man, it makes a great deal of sense that Robert Downey Jr. might want to stay retired from the role. After all, he was with the franchise for nearly two decades and ten movies. It should be fascinating to see how Tony’s legacy is addressed in projects like Armor Wars and Ironheart, with the latter being an upcoming TV series available with a Disney+ subscription.
The next installment of the MCU is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on May 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
