Will Robert Downey Jr. Return in ‘Captain America 4’?

Tony Stark’s death marked one of the saddest scenes in the MCU‘s history but is the franchise really done with Robert Downey Jr? Rumors of the actor’s appearance on the set of ‘Captain America: Brave New World‘ in Washington DC have raised many eyebrows. Many MCU fans, who never came to terms with Tony Stark’s death, now wonder whether these rumors prove Robert Downey Jr’s return as Iron Man in ‘Captain America 4’.

Nawar Shora, a DC-based author, wrote on LinkedIn that a reliable source of his had seen Robert Downey Jr at the Captain America 4 set. The source also said that the actor was seen driving supercars near the Whitehouse, typical Tony Stark style. However, there is still no official confirmation of Robert Downey Jr being part of the ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ cast despite the speculation.

Furthermore, there is little evidence from our MCU sources to support the theory of RDJ’s return as Tony Stark. Even as the franchise rebuilds in phase five, Iron Man is still a legendary character in the MCU, and fans will always appreciate his return. So is Robert Downey Jr returning in ‘Captain America 4’? Let’s look at what his appearance on the set could mean for the highly anticipated movie.

Iron Man’s possible appearance in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

There has been no official confirmation from Marvel regarding the return of Iron Man in ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’ Besides, Iron Man hasn’t appeared in any MCU movie since Tony Stark sacrificed himself to defeat Thanos in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ in 2019.

A Marvel executive, Stephen Broussard, told io9 in February 2023 that Iron Man’s return was not in the cards. However, the Lack of official confirmation doesn’t eliminate the possibility of Iron Man appearing in ‘Captain America 4’ in some capacity.

Robert Downey Jr’s appearance on set means that Iron Man could return in ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ possibly through flashbacks. The return of Tony Stark, even as flashbacks, will be a welcome addition to the highly anticipated movie.

However, we don’t believe that the RDJ’s appearance on the set proves that Tony Stark will be revived in the MCU. While Tony Stark is dead, Iron Man’s return to the MCU cannot be written off totally, especially after the appearance of Ironheart (Riri) in Wakanda Forever.

After all, Phase Five of the MCU is part of a multiverse saga, as seen in ‘Loki’ and ‘Doctor Strange,’ so every MCU character can return in one form or another. The rebirth of Captain America through Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson is another proof that Iron Man can also return.

Robert Down Jr could, therefore, have been playing another version of Iron Man, possibly from another universe. However, bringing back RDJ as Iron Man, even from another universe, would heavily undermine the achievements of Tony Stark.

RDJ could also have been on the set for different reasons altogether and just driving supercars for fun, so whether the actor returns to the MCU remains to be seen. As for Tony Stark, he accomplished his purpose in the MCU, having grown into one of the fan-favorite characters in the franchise and dying a hero, so his return is unlikely.

Who else stars in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’?

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America is one of the eagerly expected returnees in ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’ His performance in ‘The Falcon And The Winter Soldier’ turned him into a fan favorite, so fans hope to see how well he plays the role in ‘Brave New World.’

His right-hand man Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan, is also another returnee to look forward to. Harrison Ford as Thadeus Ross and Liv Tyler as Betty Ross are another duo expected to bring more life to ‘Captain America 4.’

Tim Blake Nelson is also expected to join the antagonists as Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader. Emily VanCamp, who portrays Sharon Carter, niece of First Avenger Peggy Carter, is another actor expected to become a mainstay in Captain America going forward.

Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres is also expected to feature alongside Mackie and Ford in the movie. Other names mentioned in the cast include Shira Hass, Colby Lopez, Carl Lumbly, Rosa Salazar, and Xosha Roquemore.

When will ‘Captain America 4’ be released?

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will be in theaters on July 26, 2024, as announced by Marvel. The movie was initially scheduled for theatrical release on May 3 but was rescheduled. It will also be released digitally on Disney+ later in 2024, although the exact digital release date hasn’t been confirmed.

The SAG-AFTRA strike is a major disruptor for most movie and TV show release schedules, although there has been no confirmation that it will affect the release date of ‘Captain America 4’ so far.

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