Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has poured cold water over the idea of Robert Downey Jr returning as Iron Man.
Four years on from his superhero's epic death in Avengers: Endgame – the second-highest-grossing movie of all-time, no less – reports emerged last month that a potential reunion between Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man on the big screen was being discussed by the studio's top decision-makers.
However, while speaking to Vanity Fair, Feige issued this response: "We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way."
Related: Robert Downey Jr hails Oppenheimer as his "best film"
Interestingly, he was less definitive when those rumours first broke out, telling Entertainment Tonight: "We're doing a project with Scarlett. I love Robert, he's a part of the family, but in terms of returning we'll have to see."
Maybe next month we'll get a different answer.
What to Read Next
This comes after Iron Man director Jon Favreau revealed that Downey Jr was originally being eyed to play the Fantastic Four supervillain Doctor Doom.
Related: Iron Man's Robert Downey Jr and The Batman's Robert Pattinson join comedy movie
During a chat with Feige to mark Iron Man's 15th anniversary earlier this year, he said: "I remember that Robert had come in for a general on it – and I remember you had all met with him already for like Doctor Doom or something on another project.
"I think he had come through like maybe Fantastic Four? So everybody sort of knew who he was, and I remember sitting down with the guy, and I was like 'Geez he's just got it – he's got that spark in him, in his eye and he's ready.'"
Reporter, Digital Spy
Dan is a freelance entertainment journalist. Beginning his writing career in 2014, Dan's work first graced the pages of cult publications Starburst magazine and Little White Lies before moving onto Total Film, Digital Spy, NME and Yahoo Entertainment.
In the film and TV universe, he kneels at the altar of Jim Carrey, Daniel Plainview, Mike Ehrmantraut and Paulie Walnuts.
