Robert Downey Jr. Says He'd Need A "Super Compelling Argument" To Return As IRON MAN, But "We'll See"

During interviews to promote Dolittle, Robert Downey Jr. sounds surprisingly open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe...assuming Marvel Studios could come up with a compelling enough reason!

By JoshWilding - Jan 16, 2020 04:01 AM EST

Filed Under: Iron Man

Avengers: Endgame star Robert Downey Jr. is currently doing the rounds to promote Dolittle, his first post-Iron Man role and a movie which has so far been scoring negative reviews (it also appears as if it will flop at the box office). However, the subject of the Armoured Avenger keeps on coming up, and his latest remarks are particularly noteworthy.

Asked by Joe Rogan about whether he would be open to reprising the role somewhere down the line, the actor pointed out that he's moved on from Tony Stark, but did seem willing to play the character again...if the story calls for it.

"To me, starting up again is off the table," Downey explains. "I feel like I’ve done all I could with that character. There would have to be a super compelling argument and a series of events that made it obvious. But the other thing is, I wanna do other stuff." So far, "other stuff" isn't going particularly well, but it's still early days for his post-Avengers career.

Meanwhile, during a chat with TODAY, the actor seemingly kept hope alive by once again not completely dismissing a return. "I'm not sure. Are we in bargaining now?" Downey joked. "I am so pleased, just that, I wound up where I have. I’m very fortunate so, I’m not the kind of guy who - I want to try to keep it classy. We'll see."

The chances of Iron Man returning are clearly slim, but there are ways the character could live on (as an A.I. for Riri Williams' Ironheart, for example). Undoing Tony's death would negate one of Avengers: Endgame's most meaningful moments, so Stark returning to the land of the living is highly doubtful.

What do you guys think?

Hit the "View List" button to check out some Marvel
Cinematic Universe mistakes you'll never be able to unsee!

A Long Way To Go For Pizza - Avengers: Endgame

New Asgard is supposed to be in Tonsberg, Norway but, in reality, these scenes were shot in Scotland.

However, Marvel Studios did a poor job of hiding that as the truck The Hulk and Rocket use to reach the God of Thunder has a UK number plate, and the pizza boxes in his house have a British phone number on them as well. Both things are vastly different in Norway so there's no excusing this blatant error even if it is easy to miss.

"Hey, Everyone" - Spider-Man: Homecoming

In the trailers for Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man's arrival on the battlefield was followed by him greeting his fellow heroes with, "Hey, everyone!" In the movie itself, though, that line comes a little while after he lands, and he instead babbles nervously about his new suit.

Well, in the vlog which kicks off his solo movie that Peter Parker secretly shot, the line is right there when he lands with Cap's shield despite it playing out differently in the superhero ensemble.

When Was Bucky Born? - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Steve Rogers visits an exhibit in the Smithsonian Institution to reflect on his past deeds during World War II and, while there, he looks at memorial for his best friend Bucky Barnes.

You have to hope he wasn't looking too closely, though, because while the text starts by noting that he was born in 1916, the dates at the end of that claim that he lived from 1917 - 1944 so which was it?

A Second Scott Lang - Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame's final battle is a thrilling, fast-paced affair so it's easy to see why something like this might slip between the cracks.

While we see Ant-Man and The Wasp in his van attempting to get the Quantum Tunnel going, a scene immediately after briefly shows the hero in his Giant-Man form helping out the rest of Earth's Mightiest Heroes which makes no sense as he's then back in his van moments later.

"Capital Hill" - Iron Man 2

Shortly after Tony Stark is forced to testify before the United States Senate Armed Services Committee to justify his role as Iron Man, the hero watches highlights from his appearance on YouTube.

On C-SPAN's channel, the video is titled "Stark Industries CEO Tony Stark on Capital Hill" but the site - which covers political news in Washington DC - should really know better as the correct spelling is actually "Capitol Hill."

"Doctor" Strange - Doctor Strange

As Dr. Stephen Strange prepares for surgery, the good doctor makes a huge mistake which may look cool during this sequence but would definitely be frowned upon by real surgeons.

Firstly, he puts his mask on AFTER washing his hands (contaminating them by touching his mouth/face) and then touches his gown while putting on his gloves, a big no-no as hands should never leave the doctor's sleeves once again due to the risk of infection.

Bad Hair Day - Avengers: Infinity War

As Peter Parker and Tony Stark head into outer space, the web-slinger explains that "You can't be a friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man if there's no neighbourhood."

When he says that, his hair is slicked back with gel or wax but after Tony's response, he suddenly has a fringe and no hair product. It reverts back to how it was after that so this was likely the result of reshoots.

Hairbutt, Not Headbutt - The Avengers

Black Widow gets a kickass introduction in The Avengers when she's called back into action by Agent Coulson and takes down a gang of Russian thugs she's been pursuing.

However, when she headbutts the guy behind her - who ends up being knocked out cold - she's actually just hitting him with a flick of her hair as the camera angle shows that the stuntman was standing way too far back for the hero's head to even graze him.

Where Did That Cash Come From?

As Bruce Banner and Betty Ross discuss what they should do next in their hotel room, we see the former empty her purse on to the bed and cash can visibly be seen sticking out of a wallet.

However, as he goes to pick that up in a subsequent shot, it's somehow moved out of the wallet and to a completely different area on the bed.

Spider-Man's Shifting Timeline - Spider-Man: Homecoming

One of the biggest blunders made in the MCU sees Adrian Toomes cleaning New York City up shortly after the Chitauri attacked in 2012. This was supposed to be eight years before the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming (releasd in 2017) which either means The Avengers happened sooner than we thought or the wall-crawler's first solo outing in this shared world took place in 2020.

That doesn't make sense as it would place the adventure two years after Spidey died, so this was just a total error on Marvel's part, something the Russo Brothers have since acknowledged.

Captain America's Self-Healing Costume - The Avengers

Steve Rogers takes a Chitauri blast to the gut during the Battle of New York, leaving that area of his suit badly damaged as a result.

However, by the time Earth' Mightiest Heroes confront the fallen Loki in Stark Tower, his suit has been repaired and shows no visible sign of damage...perhaps he just had time to change?

Air Force One's Non-Bulletproof Windows - Iron Man 3

With one of Aldrich Killian's thugs decked out in War Machine's armour, Air Force One (the United States President's plane) comes under attack and ends up crashing.

Before that happens, though, one of the bullets which bounces off "War Machine" ends up breaking through one of the aircraft's windows. There's no way that would happen in real-life as they're bulletproof and tough enough to stop a ricocheting bullet.

Peter Quill's Mixtape - Guardians Of The Galaxy

Peter Quill was taken from Earth by Yondu in 1988 and it was presumably then or the previous year that his mother created a mixtape for her son.

Look closely, though, and you'll notice that both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 are Type II "CDing 2" TDK cassette tapes. That may be a very minor detail but it's also a type of tape which wasn't released until 1993 which means that Meredith and Peter having access to them five years beforehand makes no sense.

Ride Like The Wind, Cap - The Avengers

As Earth's Mightiest Heroes go their separate ways following Loki's defeat, Steve Rogers rides off into the sunset on his motorbike.

However, while he's clearly driving at high speed based on the way the background behind him is moving, Chris Evans' hair isn't moving and the "wind" is having no sort of affect on him.

Hank Pym's Heavy Keyring - Ant-Man

During Ant-Man, we hear TWICE that Pym Particles shrink the space between atoms and not the atoms themselves. Now, without getting too scientific, that means the objects themselves don't change weight. Despite this, both Hank Pym and Scott Lang are able to ride on the back of ants, while the latter is shown standing on Tony Stark's shoulder in Avengers: Endgame.

There may be an explanation for that, of course, and we're probably not meant to give it too much thought. However, Hank carrying around a tank - an object rather than a person - as a keyring makes even less sense because it should have weighed the same as it would at full-size!

The Name's Carol Danvers - Captain Marvel

We see a lot of Carol Danvers' military background as her origin story is explored in Captain Marvel but we don't know where those dog tags reminding her of her past have come from.

If they were proper military issue, they wouldn't read "Carol Danvers" and would instead say, "Danvers, Carol." Perhaps Marvel Studios decided that would be too confusing for Vers as she finally learned her true name!

Thor Gets Lost In London - Thor: The Dark World

As the God of Thunder attempts to make his way through London, he's forced to ask for directions on the tube while navigating Charing Cross Station.

She explains that he needs to ride three stops to reach Greenwich during this lighthearted exchange but Charing Cross isn't on the Jubilee Line and definitely more than three stops away from where Thor needed to get to.

Tony Stark's Miraculous Recovery - Iron Man

As Obidiah Stane's villainous nature is finally revealed to Tony Stark, he uses a device which causes the hero to bleed from his ears.

However, by the time he reaches the elevator to make his way down to the laboratory where his old arc reactor is housed, the blood has vanished and it seems doubtful he would have had time to wipe it away.

Flag Fumble - Captain America: The First Avenger

Howard Stark's World Expo is certainly an international affair, hence why a number of flags can be seen outside. However, one of them is most definitely out of place.

Look closely and you'll notice that the national flag of the Bahamas is flying behind the American flag but considering the fact it wasn't created until 1973, we're not sure how it somehow showed up at this event in the late 1930s.

Where Did That New Car Come From? - The Avengers

With New York City being torn apart by the invading Chitauri, several cars are show flipping in the air as the aliens start their invasion. One of those is a sedan which Thor takes cover behind and, as you might expect, it's pretty beaten up.

However, in the next shot, the damage has disappeared and it seems that the beaten up vehicle from before is now completely new again possibly as a result of reshoots.

Star-Lord Doesn't Know Where To Look - Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

As the Guardians of the Galaxy battle the monstrous Abilisk, there are some humorous exchanges between Star-Lord and Rocket.

However, when Peter Quill responds to the talking racoon, he's looking to his left despite Rocket being on his right (the scenery behind him is also mirrored). Oddly, things appear to have got switched around for no particular reason here.

A Time-Displaced Internet Cafe - Captain Marvel

Computer nerds will love this one. For starters, Carol Danvers is shown using Netscape Navigator 4, a programme not released until two years until after this movie took place.

Also incorrect is her use of Altavista to track down the bar that fallen Skrull led her to. While the company's original logo is correctly used, the URL is incorrect as they didn't own the "altavista.com" domain name yet in 1995.

An Awkward Photo - Iron Man 2

As Tony Stark poses with the Senator at the end of the sequel, there are some major continuity errors. For starters, his jacket goes from being buttoned to unbuttoned within a split second!

Tony's hand is also behind the Senator to begin with, by his side when the camera zooms out, then back behind him when we return to the original shot.

Who Is Mrs. Stark - Captain America: Civil War

As the Avengers meet with Secretary Ross, Tony Stark can be seen wearing a wearing ring. Now, him and Pepper Potts weren't married at this point in the MCU's timeline so what's going on here?

Well, common sense says that's Downey's actual wedding ring and he just forgot to take it off, hence why it keeps popping up from scene to scene.

Something Doesn't Add Up - Black Panther

As we learn Erik Killmonger's history from Everett Ross, it's revealed that the villain graduated from a US Naval Academy - Annapolis - at the age of 19.

That may sound impressive but it's also impossible; you're not allowed to join the US Naval Academy until 17 and it then takes four years to graduate regardless of how skilled you are meaning he would have had to be 21 at best.

A Giant Mistake - Ant-Man And The Wasp

When Scott Lang is stuck inside that janitor's closet as his suit malfunctions, his head is tilted towards his right shoulder after growing too large for the space they're stick in.

However, as Hope Van Dyne works on repairing his suit, his head is now tilted to the left and there's no way there would have been room for him to do that given the cramped conditions.

Bruce Is Looking Green - Thor: Ragnarok

As Thor and Bruce Banner make their way through the streets of Sakaar, the latter ends up getting green powder thrown in his face.

However, after getting separated from the God of Thunder, the green has completely vanished from his face, hair, and clothing as if it was never even there in the first place.

Quicksilver Lives? - Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Quicksilver giving his life to save Hawkeye came as a huge surprise and his death - he was gunned down by Ultron - was surprisingly violent for the MCU.

However, the wounds on Pietro's body change from shot to shot as they're considering less bloody during closeups. This was likely done to ensure a PG-13 rating but was Quicksilver secretly healing? We doubt it!

That's A Long Walk, Coulson - Thor

As the people of Oklahoma attempt to lift Thor's hammer, Agent Coulson can be seen pulling up at the top of the hill no more than around 100 yards away.

However, when he gets out of his car to survey what's been happening, he's a good half mile away and this continuity error is likely a result of making the shot line up with Iron Man 2's post-credits scene.

How Old Is Odin Anyway - Thor: Ragnarok

In Thor: The Dark World, it's strongly hinted that an Asgardian King lives around 5000 years but Thor: Ragnarok contradicts that.

It comes when the God of Thunder points out that his father fought Surtur around 500,000 years ago, something which makes the All-Father considerably older than we could have ever realised.

Learn German, Lady! - Spider-Man: Far From Home

Sure, it's funny when that woman screams "Nacht Monkey" when Spider-Man jumps off the train in Germany but that's not how a German would actually say it.

Instead, "Nachtaffe" is German for "Night Monkey" but it was likely change to ensure the gag would land as that doesn't really sound a whole lot like the English name for Peter Parker's new persona.

Washington, D.C., Ohio - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

In an action-packed sequence, Nick Fury is chased through Washington D.C. by HYDRA and the Winter Soldier but the black and white signs for Highway 6 shouldn't be there.

Why not? Well, they're unique to the great state of Ohio and that is, of course, where most of Captain America: The Winter Soldier was filmed (Cleveland, to be exact). Needless to say, they should not have been in Washington!

Sorry Wales But You Don't Belong - Black Panther

As T'Challa addresses the United Nations, the flags of many countries can be seen surrounding him. Yet again, though, there's one that simply does not belong and that's the Welsh flag.

Sure, it's awesome (it has a dragon on it, after all) but while Wales is part of the United Kingdom, its flag should not be here any more than Scotland, Northern Ireland, or England. It should only be the Union Jack.

Doctor Strange Vs. Ebony Maw - Avengers: Infinity War

Ebony Maw foils Doctor Strange's attempt to use the Time Stone on him by strangling him into unconsciousness and wrapping him up in metal. That leaves the Sorcerer Supreme prone next to a police car and overturned motorbike.

Well, when Maw later lifts him off the ground to return to Thanos, the police car has been replaced with a generic SUV and that motorbike has vanished.

Radioactive Blood - Spider-Man: Far From Home

After Mysterio has finally been defeated and his drones no longer pose a threat to the city of London, Peter Parker and MJ have an emotional reunion on Tower Bridge.

As they hug, Peter gets some of the blood from his face on the left shoulder of her jacket (that's not very considerate...) but from other angles clearly shot at different times, that's no longer anywhere to be seen.

Did you guys spot any of these mistakes the last time you watched the movies? Are there any big ones we've missed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

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95 Comments

1 2 3

MarvelousMarty - 1/16/2020, 4:05 AM

Few more flops and he'll want to return.

Spock0Clock - 1/16/2020, 4:09 AM

He'll definitely return for the 20th Anniversary Big Cameo-Filled Extravaganza. But he may come back before that in some capacity. If Marvel is going full multiverse, then there will always be a temptation and an opportunity to play with alternate versions of Tony Stark. Feige may not jump to it quickly, but I think some idea will pop up in those group emails that will be too appealing to refuse.

Vigor - 1/16/2020, 4:30 AM

@Spock0Clock - them slack threads

GhostDog - 1/16/2020, 4:19 AM

knocturnalzen10 - 1/16/2020, 6:18 AM

@BlackBeltJones - normally i don't support large amounts being thrown at actors like that ... but dude redefined a median for Iron Man .... they changed how he's written in comics ... he deserves it imo

GhostDog - 1/16/2020, 6:22 AM

@knocturnalzen10 - I completely understand why he made the money he made. He put butts in seats ALONE for a lot of those movies.

He is the DEFINING ACTOR of the modern cbm.

knocturnalzen10 - 1/16/2020, 6:46 AM

@BlackBeltJones - exactly !!! there's nothing humorous about TONY STARK aside from if he's using rubbers with the intergalactic ladies like Gamora .... RDJ gave him another layer .