Despite Marvel’s recent lackluster run at the box office, the studio’s head, Kevin Feige, says he has no plans to bring Robert Downey Jr. back to the franchise.
In an interview Vanity Fair, Feige said, “We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” referencing Downey Jr.’s final performance as Iron Man in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Recent rumors suggested that, in light of a string of box office duds, Marvel was considering bringing back Downey Jr. in order to reinvigorate the franchise. Beyond Feige’s stance, Downey Jr. also appears to have no interest in reprising Iron Man.
Citing End Game directors Joe and Anthony Russo, Vanity Fair reports that Downey Jr. was reluctant to even participate in reshoots for the 2019 film. “We’d already said tearful goodbyes on the last day of shooting. Everybody had moved on emotionally,” Joe Russo said. “We promised him it would be the last time we made him do it—ever.”
Downey Jr. previously admited that he was worried that playing Iron Man had “atrophied” his acting skills prior to taking on a more serious role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Editor’s Note: See our list of Robert Downey Jr.’s 10 Best Performances