The “I Am Iron Man” scene of Avengers: Endgame has to be one of the most iconic moments in the whole MCU. Not only does it mark the final defeat of Thanos and the climax of the Infinity Saga, but also the ultimate sacrifice of Tony Stark. It’s a sequence fans have watched again and again. But we bet you haven’t noticed this continuity error before.
Reddit user Tustjzfjxfjxgjzjf posted the following image on the MovieDetails subreddit and it makes clear that Tony’s facial hair has significantly changed in one shot to the next. In the first screenshot, Robert Downey Jr.’s mustache is thicker and darker. In the second, there’s much less of it and it’s a little more grey.
Check out the comparison below:
If you know about the production process of Endgame, then you might be aware of the reason behind this goof. As with all Marvel movies, Avengers 4 was the subject of significant reshoots. In this case, one of – if not the – most significant scenes retooled was Tony’s exit.
In the original version, he didn’t have a comeback to Thanos’ “I am inevitable” line and went right ahead with snapping his fingers. It was decided, though, that he wouldn’t be Tony if he didn’t have a final quip, with the idea for the “I am Iron Man” callback coming from editor Jeff Ford.
The Russos have revealed that Downey Jr. was actually reluctant to redo this scene and took a bit of convincing to re-stage such an emotionally-draining sequence. As it happened, the actor agreed, but the reshoot ended up being the final scene shot for Avengers: Endgame, just months before it hit theaters. Hence how Tony Stark’s magic mustache couldn’t have been helped.
And this moment may well end up being the final occasion that Downey Jr. plays Iron Man, too, as he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to suit up again – and grow out his facial hair – any time soon.
