As promised by Marvel in the build up to the release of Avengers: Endgame, the superhero blockbuster marked the end of several characters’ time in the MCU – most notably Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark and Chris Evans’ Captain America.
Downey, who was integral to the launch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2008’s Iron Man, has been chatting to D23 Magazine about his eleven-year odyssey, during which he revealed that he felt Endgame was the right time for him and his fellow Avenger to get off the Marvel train:
“We had to get off,” said Downey. “We opted to, and knew it was part of the job to get off the bus while it rolled on to other destinations. There’s something very sobering about it. I’m glad [Chris] and I will be there to welcome others as they retire their jerseys.”
SEE ALSO: Avengers: Endgame co-director says he has no regrets and wouldn’t change anything
Of course, Endgame doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve seen the end of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers – see next year’s Black Widow, for example, which is set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War – and it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if either pop up for a cameo at some point in the future.
Avengers: Endgame stars Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Josh Brolin (Thanos), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie (Falcon), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Benedict Wong (Wong), Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Vin Diesel (Groot), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Evangeline Lilly (The Wasp), Letitia Wright (Shuri) and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie).