Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have been eagerly anticipating the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man ever since his character’s heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame (2019). However, it seems that the possibility of his return is now looking unlikely, according to a recent statement from a Marvel producer.

In a recent interview with io9, Marvel producer Stephen Broussard seemingly shot down the potential for Robert Downey Jr. to reprise his role as Iron Man. Broussard stated, “I think one of the meta-narratives of Phase Four was about new characters. It was about new people stepping into mantles. If you look at, like, Cassie [Lang in Quantumania] getting a suit and Kate Bishop [in Hawkeye], new characters being introduced like Jack in Werewolf by Night. After these first 10 years of Marvel storytelling, torches are being passed, like with Robert Downey Jr. no longer being [on the] table and stuff like that. So it was kind of like a new generation stepping to the forefront which, again, has always happened in the comics.”

Broussard’s comments suggest that Marvel has no immediate plans to bring back Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, and that his story has been brought to a satisfying conclusion in “Endgame.” While fans may be disappointed to hear this news, it’s not entirely surprising given Downey’s previous statements on the matter.

In various interviews, Robert Downey Jr. has expressed his contentment with moving on from the role of Iron Man, stating that he’s “done all I could” and that “there would have to be a super compelling argument and a series of events that made it obvious” for him to return. It seems that, for now at least, no such argument or events have presented themselves.

There are still rumors that Downey could return for Secret Wars or Nomad, but it could just be wishful thinking on the part of Marvel fans.

Of course, it’s worth noting that plans can always change in the entertainment industry. Marvel has a history of surprising fans with unexpected casting choices and plot twists, so it’s not entirely impossible that Robert Downey Jr. could return to the MCU at some point in the future. However, for the time being, it seems that his return as Iron Man is unlikely.

In conclusion, while fans may have been hoping for Robert Downey Jr. to return as Iron Man, it looks like his journey in the MCU has reached a satisfying end, and it’s time for the franchise to move on to new stories and characters.