Robert Downey Jr. reveals what he misses most about being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a franchise he helped launch.
Robert Downey Jr. reveals what he misses most about being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Downey Jr. starred in the first MCU installment, the 2008 film Iron Man, and went on to appear in a total of 11 films in the franchise. Playing billionaire genius Tony Stark, Downey Jr. starred in three Iron Man films and four Avengers films, making Tony one of the most integral and central characters in the MCU. After 11 years in the MCU, Downey Jr. left the franchise when Tony sacrificed himself in Avengers: Endgame 2019, the final film in The Infinity Saga. Even after Tony’s death, his influence continues in the MCU, with his sacrifice often referenced in subsequent Marvel films. However, Downey Jr. hasn’t appeared in a Marvel movie since 2019.
In an interview with Deadline, Downey Jr. reveals what he misses most about the MCU. Downey Jr. says he misses “being in the trenches” with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige for so many years, and traveling with every Iron Man director. He also goes on to praise directors Jon Favreau, Shane Black, and the Russo Brothers, who each made Downey Jr.’s time in the MCU memorable and helped him embrace Tony Stark from start to finish. Read Downey Jr.’s full comment below:
What do I miss the most? Being in the trenches with Kevin Feige throughout; the beginning, with Jon Favreau, is like a beautiful dream now; in the middle, with Shane Black on Iron Man 3, we had just had Exton and shooting it mostly in Wilmington NC It was idyllic and subversive. And The End, when I realized I had made so many close friends in the MCU cast, and the Russo Brothers helped me embrace Tony’s arc.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Marvel Legacy Remains Strong
Although Marvel fans were devastated to see Tony die in Avengers: Endgame, Downey Jr. has reflected many times in the past on how rewarding it was to play the character and how much he felt to know when to stop. Downey Jr. said he had “an amazing 10-year run that was creatively satisfying,” but he was “done” with Marvel movies. Much like Tony in Avengers: Endgame, Downey Jr. said he wanted to focus more on his family and his philanthropic work, and that now was the right time for him to leave the franchise in the hands of the next generation of heroes.
Despite Downey Jr.’s departure, his legacy in Marvel remains strong. While other MCU heroes have successors, like Steve Rogers handing over Captain America’s shield to Sam Wilson, there was no immediate replacement for Iron Man until Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduced Ironheart. Dominique Thorne, who plays Ironheart, said Downey Jr. encouraged her to make sure Riri Williams “is and should always be her own person, her own thing.” While Ironheart is Iron Man’s spiritual successor, Downey Jr. ensures that Thorne creates his own legacy, rather than directly following in his footsteps.
Could Downey Jr. Ever Return to the MCU?
Although Downey Jr. has said his Marvel days are over, that doesn’t mean he won’t return to the MCU at a later date. As Marvel actors return from their genre retreats for recent films, like Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Patrick Stewart in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU has proven that everything is possible. While there has also been speculation that Tony Stark might be recast in future Marvel movies, fans have dismissed the idea, saying Robert Downey Jr. is too vital a component of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be. replaced.
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