Final month, Robert Downey Jr. lastly earned an Academy Award for Greatest Supporting Actor due to his critically acclaimed efficiency in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” And whereas he’ll subsequent be seen on the small display within the HBO sequence “The Sympathizer,” the Oscar-winner, who appeared content material to go away Marvel behind lately, is now probably open to returning to the Tony Stark/Iron Man position that helped resurrect his performing profession again in 2008. In an interview from an expansive profile from Esquire Journal, the Marvel actor stated he’d “fortunately” return to the MCU if given an opportunity whereas additionally praising Marvel studio head Kevin Feige.

When requested if he’d be open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe sooner or later, the actor stated, “Fortunately. It’s too integral part of my DNA. That position selected me. And look, I at all times say, By no means, ever wager towards Kevin Feige. It’s a shedding wager. He’s the home. He’ll at all times win.”

Whereas these feedback aren’t in direct opposition to what Downey Jr. stated up to now, they absolutely recommend somebody much less reluctant to tread that very same territory once more.

Feige, for his half, has stated they’d by no means undo Tony Stark’s dying. “All of us labored very exhausting for a few years to get to that, and we’d by no means wish to magically undo it in any approach,” he stated final yr.

That stated, there are nonetheless many science-fictional methods to convey again Stark, regardless of the character sacrificing himself to defeat Thanos in “Avengers: Endgame,” that is make-believe, in spite of everything.

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There’s, after all, this huge and infinite idea that Marvel has already launched within the universe with the multiverse; someplace on the market, there are an infinite variety of Tony Stark’s on the market. Within the comics, Tony Stark has been an A.I. determine, and the potential of Stark turning into a mentor determine to Riri Williams within the yet-to-be-released “Ironheart” sequence on Disney+ or to Don Cheadle in his upcoming Battle Machine film “Armor Wars” may very well be potential narrative avenues to have the characters one way or the other reappear in some kind or one other.

As of now, there aren’t any official plans to convey Stark again into the fold. Although there was tons of hypothesis that the machinations of the multiverse may have the character return in both the fifth “The Avengers” or the “Avengers: Secret Wars” motion pictures, each being penned by Michael Waldron (“Loki,” “Physician Unusual 2”). Each motion pictures are at present with out administrators as “Avengers 5” misplaced Destin Daniel Cretton (“Shang-Chi”), as he exited to give attention to “Surprise Man” and “Shang-Chi 2.” 

Given the openness of Downey Jr., it’s exhausting to think about they received’t try to convey Downey again at the least as a cameo within the subsequent two “Avengers” motion pictures, even when they’re simply flashbacks or a sentient digital incarnation of the heroic determine. Nonetheless, even with the actor’s willingness to return, Feige’s authentic feedback nonetheless ring true: Marvel may wish to maintain Stark’s dying an impactful landmark within the movies, they usually might not wish to mess with the magic they created with ‘Endgame.’