Robert Downey Jr. wants to return to Marvel

Robert Downey Jr. remains open to a potential return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, despite Iron Man's dramatic sacrifice in "Avengers: Endgame." The iconic role launched the MCU in 2008 and propelled Downey to global stardom. Rumours of his comeback persist, especially in the face of MCU’s recent box office disappointments.

Downey expressed his willingness to reprise the role in an Esquire interview following his Oscar win for "Oppenheimer." "Happily. It's too integral a part of my DNA," he said. "That role chose me. And look, I always say, 'Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige.' It is a losing bet. He's the house. He will always win."

However, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has publicly emphasised the importance of preserving Iron Man's impactful ending in "Endgame." In a Vanity Fair interview last December, he stated, "We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.

In a recent interview on Rob Lowe's "Literally!" podcast, Robert Downey Jr. left the door open for a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a simple "Not just yet" when asked about potential offers.

Downey's former co-star, Gwyneth Paltrow, added to the speculation during his Esquire cover story. She reminisced about how Downey's talent for improvisation led to him frequently tossing out scripted lines while filming the "Iron Man" movies. Paltrow even admitted to eventually giving up on learning her lines due to his penchant for on-the-fly changes.

Both Downey and Paltrow made their final (for now?) MCU appearances in 2019's "Avengers: Endgame." Paltrow, who played Pepper Potts alongside Downey's Tony Stark, expressed doubt about returning to the franchise in a 2023 Instagram Q&A, questioning the need for Pepper Potts without Iron Man.