Now that Robert Downey Jr. has won an Academy Award for his role in Oppenheimer, he’s begun to consider his next move.
Even though the idea was dismissed in the past, Downey reveals in a new Esquire cover story that he’s leaving his options open about a possible return as Iron Man.
“Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA. 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,” says the actor.
Throughout his run, Downey played Iron Man across ten films of the MCU. His first appearance was 2008’s seminal film Iron Man. By 2019, he wrapped up his time at Marvel (for now) with the iconic Avengers: Endgame.
How does the man behind Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, feel about this all? While there’s no official statement, the studio exec told Vanity Fair in December, “We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again.” Adding, “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
The next project for Marvel Studios will be Deadpool & Wolverine, the only theatrical MCU release of 2024.