What an absolute ride it has been for Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It feels as if it were just yesterday when this was all kicked off by the release of Iron Man in 2008, but yes, nearly 20 years will have since passed by the time the world is done watching Avengers: Secret Wars, the follow-up to Avengers: Doomsday that will begin production as early as Summer 2026.
The death of Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame was a gutting, devastating and surreal moment for every fan who was with Downey’s rendition on his journey from billionaire playboy selling arms to mercenaries in the desert to his all-out moral war with Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War (introducing Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to the MCU and Paul Bettany’s Vision to the world in the process), and ultimately to becoming a self-sacrificing savior of the universe and the killer of Thanos.
And, now, Downey will stun the MCU again, but this time as Victor von Doom in an alternate universe, seeking to conquer the entire multiverse in Avengers: Doomsday. But before those cataclysmic events get underway, Marvel wants fans to join them in celebrating what Downey meant to everyone as Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man — no better way than with the video tribute above, the audio overlay being Stark’s final message to Pepper Potts and their daughter via hologram.
“So I thought I’d probably better record a little greeting in case of an untimely death. Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn’t always roll that way. Maybe this time. I’m hoping if you play this back, it’s in celebration. I hope families are reunited. I hope we get it back and something like a normal version of the planet has been restored, if there ever was such a thing. God, what a world — universe, now.
“If you told me 10 years ago that we weren’t alone, let alone, you know, to this extent, I mean I wouldn’t have been surprised, but come on. Who knew that epic forces of dark and light that have come into play. And, for better or worse, part of the journey is the end. What am I even tripping for? Everything’s going to work out exactly the way it’s supposed to. I love you 3000.”
‘I Am Iron Man’
Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark building the first Iron Man suit in 2008’s Iron Man.Image via Marvel Studios
The fact is there is no Avengers franchise if not for the success of the original Iron Man film, and pretending that isn’t true is pure lunacy. It served as a launching pad for everything for Marvel and Kevin Feige, and propelled the Russo Brothers into orbit in the process.
There was once a time when many in Hollywood scoffed at the thought of being in a superhero movie, but take a look at the growing laundry list of A-list talent that’s signed on at some point — past, present and future — and see how wildly different things are nowadays; and how the bar is so insanely high that DC Studios has been chasing its tail for years to try and keep up with the Downey-driven success of the MCU, and unsuccessfully.
Having often proclaimed he wanted the Avengers to create a suit of armor around the world, what Iron Man ultimately realized is that all the Marvel Universe ever needed was the suit of armor that surrounded him, because that’s exactly what wound up saving the world.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters worldwide on December, 18, 2026.
Release Date
May 2, 2008
Runtime
126 minutes
Director
Jon Favreau
Writers
Matt Holloway, Art Marcum, Hawk Ostby, Mark Fergus
Producers
Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Peter Billingsley, Stan Lee, David Maisel
Robert Downey Jr.
Tony Stark
