Robert Downey Jr. played the role of the first superhero that ever came into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). His portrayal of Tony Stark aka Iron Man not only gave his career a huge boost, making him an international star but also made the MCU one of the most beloved franchises in the world.

With time, many other actors joined the MCU such as Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and Scarlett Johansson. The latter of these was the first female superhero in the franchise and has left a lasting mark on fans through her portrayal of Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. Recently, rumors have been circulating that Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson might put on their superhero suits once again.

A scene from Avengers: Endgame

Robert Downey Jr.’s Return to MCU Is Uncertain

Avengers: Endgame, released in 2019, saw all the superheroes of the MCU join forces to defeat Thanos who posed a great threat to the entirety of the universe. While some heroes survived the fight, others sacrificed themselves to save the world. Robert Downey Jr.‘s Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow fell into the latter category.
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame

Although Johansson starred in another MCU project even after that, it was clear that Robert Downey Jr. would not be putting on his suit anytime soon. However, rumors now suggest that the Chaplin actor might return. The most recent of these reports was released in early November.

On the red carpet during the world premiere of Brie Larson’s The Marvels in Las Vegas, Nevada, Entertainment Tonight asked the president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige if some fallen Avengers were going to make a comeback in an upcoming Avengers movie. Feige coyly said that he had no idea about the rumor. He went on to say:

“We did not discuss that at the retreat. It’s the truth. We’re doing a project with Scarlett, we love Robert, he’s a part of the family. But in terms of returning? We’ll have to see.”
Although it is uncertain whether or not Robert Downey Jr. is going to return as Iron Man, there are quite a few upcoming MCU movies in which fans are hoping to see the Sherlock Holmes actor make a return.

Robert Downey Jr. Might Return in an Upcoming Avengers Movie

Iron Man and Spider-Man in Avengers Endgame

If there is one thing that the MCU is really good at doing apart from making amazing movies, it is keeping its secrets in tight wraps until they deem it appropriate for them to come out. Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU will obviously be a big deal considering the number of fans anticipating it is growing.

With the MCU putting the multiverse to use, the return of some of the legacy superheroes is not completely off the hook. Robert Downey Jr. himself is doing an excellent job of keeping his return to the franchise uncertain. Even so, the movie in which fans are hoping to see the star is 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.

Reportedly, Avengers: Secret Wars will be one of the biggest crossover events when it comes to comic book crossovers so Marvel is looking to bring back as many legacy superheroes as possible.