Having kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2008’s Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. has served as the face of the massive 22-film franchise for well over a decade now. So it makes sense that fans would have developed some sort of an emotional connection to the character, a relationship epitomized by his fitting conclusion in Avengers: Endgame.
If you’ll recall, with the snap of his fingers and the words “I am Iron Man,” Tony Stark sacrificed himself to stop Thanos once and for all, bringing the Infinity Saga back around full circle. It was poignant and perfect, but understandably, fans are still clamoring for more RDJ.
Just a mere two days ago, we brought you the news that a number of MCU obsessives are already petitioning to bring the character back from the grave. At the time, the Change.org petition had collected 15,000 signatures with the intended goal being 25,000. It didn’t take long to reach that amount and eventually surpass it, with the number of signatures amassed now eclipsing 35,000, and the final goal having been upped to 50,000.
Considering that Tony Stark’s resurrection would render the emotional resonance of Endgame moot, it’s highly unlikely that Marvel would ever take this petition seriously. That being said, there’s always a chance that Robert Downey Jr. could pop up in a cameo from time to time, be it a possible prequel film for another MCU character or even in next month’s Spider-Man: Far From Home (in which Tony’s death has a massive influence on the titular hero).
While I’d love to see Iron Man appear again somewhere down the line in the MCU, I personally believe these fan petitions are getting a bit out of hand. How about you, though? Do you want to see Tony Stark return at some point? Let us know in the comments below.
