Robert Downey Jr. is inextricably tied to the MCU, but it appears that the rumors about him returning as Iron Man will haunt Marvel forever. Iron Man’s story is intertwined with the birth and rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2008, RDJ appeared on the big screen as Tony Stark, building a suit of armor in a cave out of scraps. Just like the MCU, Stark pulled himself up from the bottom, and he made himself and his armor into something bigger than the sum of his parts.

As Iron Man grew to become the man that would eventually lay down his life for his friends and the rest of the universe, RDJ’s star rose higher and higher, and he became the face of the MCU. However, despite the character not having appeared in an MCU movie since 2019s Avengers: Endgame, a return of the character has continuously been discussed. Almost as soon as Iron Man died in the MCU, theories about how Iron Man could return began swirling. And it only appears to increase with time.

Robert Downey Jr’s Return Will Always Be Marvel’s Biggest Story

Because He Is Marvel Studio’s Brightest Star

RDJ remains the face of the MCU, despite new and younger stars beginning to form into a new superhero team and leading the franchise forward. He may be dead, but considering the latest Phase’s explored the Multiverse and variants of popular characters, it does feel like the door was left open a crack to explore bringing characters back to interact with variants in the future. And Marvel might need to use this if their struggles continue with a series of movies that have failed to make it big at the box office.

Bringing back RDJ would be expensive, considering the actor has only grown in popularity with a recent Oscar win for his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, but it would absolutely be the biggest draw for Marvel fans to return to the franchise despite any fatigue. And thanks to the Multiverse, and upcoming crossover movies like Deadpool & Wolverine, Avengers: Secret Wars, and more in the future, there is room for the actor to slot back in somewhere, even if it’s just for a cameo.

RDJ Has Fuelled Rumors He’s Coming Back

He’s Ready To Suit Up

In addition, RDj has recently spoken out on just how much he would be open to returning to the MCU and reprising his role as Stark (via Screen Rant). RDJ said he’d “happily” return, and highlighted just how important the character of Tony Stark is to him. Considering his career was slowly on the way up after a number of years at rock bottom, playing Iron Man was the role that saved RDJ, and provided him with a platform and an audience who saw his incredible value.

It’s hard to imagine anyone doubting the actor’s skills after the MCU and Oppenheimer, but there was a period where Hollywood had written off the actor, despite some early success. RDJ’s willingness to come back seems like it could have been one of the biggest barriers to the character making a return, but if he’s on board, it’s up to Marvel Studios to pay the price tag and find a place to slot him back into the stories. But, this does create another complication that could threaten everything that came before.

Would Iron Man’s MCU Return Ruin His Story?

Tony’s Sacrifice Should Not Be Messed With

Bringing Iron Man back does present a number of new challenges, but if handled correctly, there is no reason it should be any less exciting or fun than Wolverine appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine. Just like Stark, Wolverine had an incredible send-off with Logan. His story ended, and the character was retired, with Hugh Jackman echoing that same sentiment. But, a strong enough script and a new approach with a character who is a variant of the original could be the perfect way to bring popular actors back to the fold.

By no means should the MCU rewrite its own history, and bring back the Tony Stark who fought Thanos and won. That would erase the sacrifice, and result in a complex and convoluted timeline, while also erasing any real stakes in the franchise. RDJ’s return would need to be different, and either more playful, or more dramatic. The character should feel different, but still work as a tribute to the original in a way that makes sense for Robert Downey Jr. to come back.