Summary

• The Russo brothers are unsure how Tony Stark would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Robert Downey Jr. is willing to reprise the role of the eccentric billionaire superhero.
• The Oscar-winning RDJ will always be linked to Iron Man and the MCU.
• Joe Russo is more focused on RDJ's real-life redemption story following his Academy Award win for his performance in Oppenheimer, admiring the actor's journey.

Yes, Iron Man is dead. Nevertheless, Anthony and Joe Russo might not fully understand the concept of the multiverse, because they aren’t sure how Tony Stark could return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Man may have sacrificed his life to defeat and turn Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his army into dust at the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, but actor Robert Downey Jr. is willing to reprise the role of the fallen superhero despite that tiny little obstacle of the character's death. Anthony Russo said in an interview with GamesRadar+:

I don’t know how they would do it. I don’t know what the road to that would be [laughs].

The Russo brothers helmed a number of the MCU’s most popular and successful entries, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and the aforementioned Endgame. But like his brother, Anthony, Joe Russo doesn’t know how to “reopen” the book on Tony Stark/Iron Man. Joe added in the same interview:

I mean we closed that book, so it would be up to them to figure out how to reopen it.

RDJ Would ‘Happily’ Return to the MCU

No matter how many awards Robert Downey Jr. collects over the remainder of his career, he will always be associated with one of the most beloved and strongest of MCU heroes. However, fans need not fret, because RDJ is ready and willing to reprise the role he first brought to life in 2008’s Iron Man. The actor said he'd "happily" return to the MCU during an interview with Esquire:

It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me. And look, I always say, ‘Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige.’ It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.

RDJ is coming fresh off his first ever Academy Award win (Best Supporting Actor) for his portrayal of the real-life Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. And while MCU fans would love to see the return of Tony Stark, Joe Russo is much more interested in the story Downey Jr. is a part of in reality, which the filmmaker defines as “one of the great stories of redemption.” Russo said in the same interview with GamesRadar+:

"His Oscar win was huge. It’s amazing to live vicariously through Robert, you know, that experience for him is so profound, because of the journey he's had. I mean, it's one of the great stories of redemption. And he's such a lovely person, such a hard-working person. He’s a generational actor, so that level of recognition for him, I think, was validation of his redemption arc."

Downey Jr. has been nominated for Academy Awards a total of three times over the course of his illustrious career. RDJ's first and only Best Actor Oscar opportunity came for his work on the 1992 film Chaplin, but he did not take home the golden statue. The actor then received a Best Supporting Actor nod for 2008's Tropic Thunder, which opened the same summer as his first appearance as Iron Man/Tony Stark in the MCU. However, it wasn't until Oppenheimer that RDJ finally notched a victory at the Oscars.

Fans can watch Tony Stark’s swan song, Avengers: Endgame, on Disney+ at the time of this writing.