In news we didn’t think we’d be hearing, Robert Downey Jr is reportedly going to return to the MCU as Iron Man in Black Widow.
Black Widow is set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War and is, therefore, a prequel rather than a post-Avengers: Endgame story so it’s entirely possible.
Deadline reports Downey, who won best actor for his work in Avengers: Endgame at the 45th Annual Saturn Awards in Los Angeles overnight will make his final MCU appearance in Black Widow which is set for release next year.
This was previously speculated, but never solidly reported. Due to the timeframe the movie is set in and the fact Black Widow was already part of the Avengers at that point, it’s possible we’ll see a bunch of cameos and appearances by other MCU characters throughout the film.
The movie, which stars Scarlett Johansson as the title character, will see David Harbour join the MCU as Red Guardian – essentially Russia’s version of Captain America. Rachel Weisz and Florence Pugh will also make their MCU debut as other Black Widow agents.
The main villain in the film is Taskmaster, who is apparently a tough opponent due to his ability to quickly observe and copy a person’s fighting style.
It’s unknown at this stage how big a role Iron Man will play in the movie, but it’s unlikely it’ll be a huge role as it seems Downey is pretty done with the MCU.
In a recent interview with Disney Twenty-Three magazine, the actor explained why he and Chris Evans had to leave Marvel.
“We had to get off. We opted to, and knew it was part of the job to get off the bus while it rolled on to other destinations.”
“There’s something very sobering about it. I’m glad he and I will be there to welcome others as they retire their jerseys.”
He also previously spoke to Off Camera about wanting to distance himself from the character of Tony Stark, explaining he didn’t want to get too comfortable in the role and forget that he’s not actually the superhero he plays.
So, we thought Downey’s final moments in the MCU would be Stark’s sacrifice for the rest of the world, but, if the reports are true and he does indeed star in Black Widow, we have no doubt that the scene will feature some classic Stark one-liners.
Black Widow is set for release in May 2020.