Marvel Studios boss teases how Robert Downey Jr return as Iron Man can happen
"We’ll see," said Kevin Feige.
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has addressed the possibility of stars Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans returning to the comic book franchise.
Both characters were written out at the end of 2019's mega-hit blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, with the exits carrying considerable emotional weight for fans.
But in an interview with DiscussingFilm, the producer explained that Deadpool & Wolverine has demonstrated how a character given a meaningful send-off can be brought back so long as "great care is taken".
Feige said: "How do you do it in a way that maintains what has come before, and in a great way? And we’ve been spending the last two-plus years figuring that out for Wolverine.
"So, what’s to come? We’ll see. We’re just proud that we, I think, have figured it out for Wolverine. I think Hugh’s appearance and starring role in [Deadpool & Wolverine] is a great sign that it can be done — if great care is taken."
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Jackman had intended to depart the role of Wolverine following 2017's Academy Award-nominated drama Logan, but was ultimately tempted back by Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds.
However, the actor was quick to clarify that this reprisal wouldn't eliminate the events of Logan from canon, with the MCU's timey-wimey multiverse shenanigans used to explain away the excursion.
"It’s all because of this device they have in the Marvel world of moving around timelines," said Jackman in December 2022 (via SiriusXM). "Now we can go back because, you know, it’s science.
"So, I don’t have to screw with the ‘Logan’ timeline, which was important to me. And I think probably to the fans, too."
On a similar note, Feige has previously pledged (via Vanity Fair) not to retcon Tony Stark's heroic sacrifice at the end of Avengers: Endgame, which brought his journey as Iron Man full circle.
"We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again," the producer promised. "We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way."
However, Downey Jr himself said he would "happily" return to the Marvel family under the right circumstances, with one possibility drawn from the comics being an AI version of Stark designed to replace him after his death.
Deadpool & Wolverine is released in cinemas on Thursday 25th July 2024.
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