How Iron Man Would Solve Coronavirus, According to Stephen Colbert

Comedian and host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stephen Colbert, theorizes how the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Tony Stark will solve the the threat of coronavirus. Played by Robert Downey Jr. for 11 years across 10 films on the big screen, the franchise’s inaugural hero met his end in last year’s Avengers: Endgame. However, in this time of global pandemic, Colbert imagines how the genius, billionaire might attempt to resolve this growing problem.

The viral disease started late last year in Wuhan, China and has spread all over the world in the last several months. Given that there’s no current cure for coronavirus, countries have been desperately trying to reign in on their respective predicaments by enforcing lockdowns and strict social distancing protocols. In Hollywood, the pandemic has essentially put the industry on standby. Multiple blockbusters have been delayed, theme parks closed down, conventions canceled, and filming for both small and big screen projects are being indefinitely suspended – that includes TV series like Colbert’s The Late Show. However, in an effort to still put content out there, the host and his team have been pumping out videos filmed at home – the latest of which sees the host impersonate Stark.

Posted on Colbert’s official social media accounts, the video begins with the comedian wanting to shave his growing facial hair. Clocking at 3:35 minutes, it features him rummaging through his wife’s toiletry and make-up bag, using random products. The video then cuts to him sporting a suit, mimicking Tony Stark’s demeanor. He emphasized the importance of people staying at home before calling to JARVIS and hilariously rambling about creating mini robots to help solve the pandemic – in a plot that mimics Avengers: Age of Ultron. Check out the whole segment, which includes a disclaimer that it wasn’t authorized by Disney, Marvel and Downey, below:

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of talk shows in New York and Los Angeles have stopped recording new episodes. Initially, the idea was to continue doing them without studio audiences, but as the threat of the virus became more apparent, almost everyone decided to cancel their upcoming episodes altogether to ensure the safety and well-being of their staff members. It didn’t take long, however, for these programs to find a way to still release new content. Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah and Conan O’Brien have been filming monologues and sketches at home. However, instead of Colbert doing his usual schtick just in the comforts of his home, he’s been coming up with creative videos that he would otherwise not do in normal circumstances.

Colbert didn’t just do a good job impersonating the MCU‘s Tony Stark, he actually looks like Downey Jr. This is something that a lot of his fans previously pointed out when he posted a photo of his younger self. However, what makes this bit funnier is that he has more ties to Captain America than Iron Man. Colbert owns the Super Soldier’s shield, sent to him by Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada, which is displayed on the set of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Previously, Marvel also made the announcement that Falcon will take over as the Star Spangled Avenger in the comics on his old Comedy Central show, The Colbert Report.