Robert Downey Jr. Gives a Definitive Answer on Return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe: ‘That’s All Done’
Fans have been hoping to see Robert Downey Jr. return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the near future, but the odds of that happening at this point look bleak.
In a new interview, Downey shut down the possibility of reprising his role as Tony Stark in the superhero franchise, citing personal interests. Though it’s not the outcome many had hoped for, Downey assured fans that Marvel has “a bunch of other stuff” in the works to keep them entertained as he moves forward with other things.
Robert Downey Jr. has been such an integral part of the MCU that fans aren’t ready for him to go
Downey began his journey within the MCU when he was cast in 2008’s Iron Man. From there, he appeared in several crossover movies and two sequels to the original movie. However, his time with the franchise ended when Stark sacrificed his life in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame to defeat Thanos and save the world.
Despite his death, fans have been hoping that Stark will be resurrected or appear in future films in some way. There are even rumors that he will appear in the upcoming Black Widow movie with a brief cameo, but a new interview with Downey appears to push back on the speculation.
Robert Downey Jr. has declared that he’s done with the MCU
Downey was recently on the SmartLess podcast with hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes when he was asked about his future within the MCU.
“I’m assuming that the Marvel thing is at a slower speed now, or are you done with that now?” Bateman asked (via Us Weekly), to which Downey replied, “That’s all done. As far as I’m concerned, I hung up my guns and I’m good to let it go.”
He continued, “I also think that Marvel is on this journey now. They’re trying a bunch of other stuff and you know, I’m excited for them to see how all that goes.”
Though his time within the MCU is over, there’s more to come from Robert Downey Jr.
Next up, Downey is slated to executive produce a DC Comics show coming to Netflix called Sweet Tooth. He announced the project on Twitter back in May, writing: “The sweetest things are worth waiting for…Susan and I are producing a @Netflix original series, Sweet Tooth, based on the comic by @JeffLemire. Can’t wait to share it with you all.”
Sweet Tooth is centered on Gus — who is part deer and part boy — as he ventures out and joins others who are like him in search of answers, per NME. A release date is not yet known, but Showbiz Cheat Sheet will share details as they become available.
