Russo brothers shut the door on Robert Downey's Marvel return
What's the story
Robert Downey Jr.—acclaimed for his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)—recently surprised fans by expressing his readiness to return to the franchise.
In an interview with Esquire magazine, he stated that he would "happily" don his Iron Man suit again, despite the character's death in Avengers: Endgame.
However, Joe and Anthony Russo—the directors of Endgame—have recently expressed doubts about Downey's potential return to the MCU.
Directors' skepticism
'We closed that book,' say the directors
In a conversation with GamesRadar+, the directors questioned how Iron Man could be reintroduced following his heroic sacrifice in their film.
Anthony stated, "I don't know how they would do it," and added, "I don't know what the road to that would be."
Joe further noted, "I mean we closed that book so it would be up to them to figure out how to reopen it."
Feige's Stand
When Feige previously expressed reservations about reviving Iron Man
Kevin Feige—president of Marvel Studios—has previously expressed reservations about the idea of reviving Downey's Iron Man.
Speaking last December, he emphasized the importance of preserving Iron Man's death scene: "We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again," adding that they had worked tirelessly for years to reach that point and wouldn't want to "magically undo it in any way."
However, these comments were made before Downey publicly announced his readiness to return as Iron Man.
Statement
Final decision ultimately rests with Feige
With Marvel facing recent box office setbacks, including disappointments like last year's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels, Downey's potential return could be a beacon of hope for the studio.
Downey's confidence in Feige's leadership is evident as he previously remarked, "Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige." He continued, "He's the house. He will always win."
As discussions surrounding Downey's return to the MCU unfold, the final decision ultimately rests with Feige.
Upcoming ventures
Meanwhile, a quick look at Downey's upcoming ventures
Amid the lingering uncertainties about Downey's potential return to the MCU, the actor has a lineup of promising projects on the horizon.
He is set to reprise his role as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes 3—directed by Dexter Fletcher.
Additionally, he is venturing into new territory with The Sympathizer, an adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
Notably, he was last seen in Oppenheimer—for which he clinched the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.