Marvel Studios Exec says Robert Downey Jr. is “off the table” for any future MCU appearances

Last Updated on February 23, 2023

Now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has evolved into an even bolder world, with Phase 5 getting jumpstarted with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it is evident that Kevin Feige is set on exploring aspects of the property beyond anyone’s imagination. After films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced unconventional ways for certain actors to return, one could assume there would still be possibilities of re-appearances from old friends. Unfortunately, a chance of saying one last goodbye to the man who started it all is not an option according to ComicBookResource. While MCU fans are getting an unprecedented, yet appropriate, final-final appearance of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the upcoming Deadpool 3, there is no such luck for Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. Stephen Broussard, an executive at Marvel Studios, is emphasizing how the new generation will continue the legacy of the former phase heroes. “If you look at, like, Cassie [Lang in Quantumania] getting a suit and Kate Bishop [in Hawkeye], new characters being introduced like Jack in Werewolf by Night. After these first 10 years of Marvel storytelling, torches are being passed, like with Robert Downey Jr. no longer being [on the] table and stuff like that. So it was kind of like a new generation stepping to the forefront which, again, has always happened in the comics.”

Broussard emphasized that phase 4 is the bridge from the older generation to the newer generation. “Now that those players are on the board and there’s a big bad coming [in the form of Kang the Conqueror], it’s about like, ‘What are they going to do with that? What are they going to do with this power?’ Because as you know, perhaps you’ve heard. With great power…[comes great responsibility.]”

This all comes off of fan speculation and rumors that with multiverses being a factor and new Avengers movies on the horizon, there would be a variant of an armored hero of Earth-838 who was to be played by Downey Jr. With upcoming reprisals of characters like Michael Keaton’s Batman and the massive response to Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s return as the Spider-men, fans would hope to see their favorites returning for one last hurrah.