Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man Almost Died in Avengers Infinity War, Russo Brothers Share
In a recent interview with CBR, director Joe Russo disclosed that Marvel Studios once seriously contemplated killing off Iron Man in an earlier film rather than waiting for his ultimate sacrifice in ‘Avengers: Endgame’.
This revelation came as the Russo brothers, Joe and Anthony, revisited their work on the MCU in anticipation of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. Robert Downey Jr., who portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man, also participated in the discussion, shedding light on how some of Marvel’s significant story decisions were made.
Joe Russo explained that during the writing phase for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, there was a moment when the team considered having Thanos eliminate Iron Man in that film, instead of allowing Tony Stark to survive into the final chapter. He described how the creative team consistently explored various ideas while crafting the expansive crossover narrative.
He stated, “We try to investigate all angles, right? Everything’s up for grabs. We always say, ‘Best idea wins.’ And a lot of the times you gotta stretch…”
Robert Downey Jr. humorously chimed in during the conversation, “It’s mine.” Russo laughed about the creative process, pointing out how ideas frequently evolve as the story develops.
Joe Russo continued, “There was a moment where we thought, ‘They’re not expecting it. This could be the best place to possibly do it.’ But then we’d have to figure out how he could potentially still participate in the next movie. And then we went, ‘Fuck it, let’s just do it in the next movie.’”
Ultimately, Marvel decided to reserve Tony Stark’s death for ‘Avengers: Endgame’, where he delivered one of the MCU’s most poignant moments by using the Infinity Stones to defeat Thanos and sacrificing himself in the process.
According to CBR, the Russos indicated that the idea of killing Iron Man earlier was thoroughly considered, but it was ultimately shifted because it served better as the conclusion of Tony’s story arc over multiple films rather than as a single shocking twist.
The interview also tied into Marvel’s upcoming major project, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which is anticipated to bring Robert Downey Jr. back to the franchise in a new role as Victor Von Doom. The film will be helmed by the Russo brothers and is currently one of the most eagerly awaited entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Studios has been revisiting significant creative choices from earlier films as part of the lead-up to the new Avengers chapter. This conversation underscores how even the most monumental moments in the MCU were shaped through evolving ideas and last-minute changes during development.
The discussion provided a rare glimpse into the flexibility of the storytelling process behind the scenes, even for a character as pivotal as Iron Man, who was instrumental in launching the entire franchise in 2008.
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