Marvel dashes fans’ hopes as they confirm Robert Downey Jr. WON’T return to the MCU

Marvel dashes fans’ hopes as they confirm Robert Downey Jr. WON’T return to the MCU as future films move away from the Avengers narrative

Robert Downey Jr. won’t return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it has been confirmed.

According to Stephen Broussard, the Vice President of Production & Development at Marvel Studios, options for the Tony Stark actor, 57, to come back ‘aren’t on the table’.

Iron Man died in Avengers: Endgame. He sacrificed himself for others and emotional final scenes showed his funeral.

Broussard admitted the MCU is in a huge transition period as they move away from the Avengers narrative.

In a recent interview was asked how Marvel’s Phase Five will connect all the pieces that have been released during Phase Four.

Sad: Robert Downey Jr. won’t return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it has been confirmed

He then told io9: ‘I think one of the meta-narratives of Phase Four was about new characters. It was about new people stepping into mantles.

‘If you look at, like, Cassie [Lang in Quantumania] getting a suit and Kate Bishop [in Hawkeye], new characters being introduced like Jack in Werewolf by Night.

‘After these first 10 years of Marvel storytelling, torches are being passed, like with Robert Downey Jr. no longer being [on the] table and stuff like that.

‘So it was kind of like a new generation stepping to the forefront which, again, has always happened in the comics.’

It comes as it was reported that Harrison Ford is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The 80-year-old star – who has appeared in some of the biggest film franchises of all time including Star Wars and Indiana Jones – will be filling some very big shoes it seems.

It has been claimed that Harrison will replace William Hurt – who died in March, aged 71 – as General Thaddeus E ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross in the Marvel movies, according to Hot Mic with John Rocha and Jeff Sneider.

Change: Broussard admitted the MCU is in a huge transition period as they move away from the Avengers narrative (the first Iron Man was released in 2008)

Slash Film soon after made the same claim.

The Thunderbolt character has already appeared in The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Black Widow.

Now there will be a stand alone Thunderbolts movie with Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan. The synopsis: A group of supervillains are recruited to go on missions for the government.

It is reportedly set to be released on July 26, 2024, according to a fan page.

And according to reporter Sneider, Ford has now signed a deal with Marvel that will see him star in the upcoming Captain America: New World Order.

Despite this, Harrison previously claimed that Marvel had ‘killed’ the success of its superhero films by releasing too many of them.

The acting legend made the claim during a discussion about the upcoming Indiana Jones movie, which is slated for release in 2023.

Actor: Iron Man died in Avengers: Endgame. He sacrificed himself for others and emotional final scenes showed his funeral

Over: He said: ‘After these first 10 years of Marvel storytelling, torches are being passed, like with Robert Downey Jr. no longer being [on the] table and stuff like that’

Big time: It comes as it was reported that Harrison Ford is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

Harrison – who first starred as the adventurer in Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 – said: ‘I don’t really want to give them what they wanna see, I want to give them something they didn’t anticipate seeing.

‘The Marvel movies are a spectacular example of a success that worked the other way round – they killed it.’

Harrison suggested that he wouldn’t allow the franchise to follow the same path as the Marvel movies.

Speaking about their plans, Harrison said: ‘We’re not going to make another Indiana Jones unless we’re in a position to kill it. We want it to be the best.’

The actor also insisted he wouldn’t commit to another Indiana Jones movie unless he was totally convinced by the project.

He explained: ‘We’re determined to get it right before we get it made.’