The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an ever-evolving theatrical experience filled with unexpected twists and turns. With that said, some surprises within the MCU are less likely to happen than others. During a recent interview, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told fans that Robert Downey Jr. would not return to the MCU as Iron Man.
“We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige told Vanity Fair.
“We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Downey Jr. has developed into a fan favorite after playing the role of Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man, in ten films. However, it was not always a given that he would appear in the MCU. Due to his arrest record, Downey Jr. was once considered a questionable choice to fill the role.
“It purely came down to the Marvel board being nervous at putting all of their chips in their future films on somebody who famously had those legal troubles in the past,” Feige said about the decision to cast Downey Jr. in the MCU.
“I wasn’t very good — and I’m still not great — at taking no for an answer. But I also don’t pound my chest to try to get my way. I try to figure out ways to make it as clear to other people why we should head in a direction. And that’s when the idea of a screen test came up.”
