RDJ's Iron Man Return Would Properly Explain Marvel's Armor Wars Change

Marvel Studios' upcoming Armor Wars is being reworked as a feature film, a change that could be explained by a potential MCU return by Robert Downey Jr. A War Machine movie had been in development at Marvel Studios since 2011, but was officially revealed as a Disney+ series at Disney's 2020 Investor's Day, with Don Cheadle reprising his long-running role of James "Rhodey" Rhodes. In September 2022, it was announced that Armor Wars will be redeveloped as a feature film and a direct sequel to the upcoming Secret Invasion series. Many speculated about why this change would occur, but one major MCU character's return would explain the upgrade perfectly.

In Marvel Comics, Tony Stark programs an AI version of himself, much like JARVIS and FRIDAY in the MCU, so that he can continue to live on after death. This AI has a part to play in 2015's Armor Wars storyline, leading many to speculate that Robert Downey Jr could be reprising his iconic role in the MCU, a return that would certainly constitute the change from an Armor Wars Disney+ series to a fully-fledged feature film. Tony's presence in the MCU has been sorely missed since his sacrifice at the end of Avengers: Endgame, so he'd certainly be welcomed back with open arms.

How RDJ Can Return As Iron Man In Armor Wars

Many have argued that Robert Downey Jr returning as Iron Man would cheapen his Endgame sacrifice, which saw him use the Infinity Stones to eliminate Thanos, saving the entire universe in the process. Even so, the introduction of the multiverse in the MCU has opened the door for several retired characters to return, and there's also no doubt that Tony Stark's own genius would have been able to conceive of a way for him to live on after death. This has already been teased during Tony's farewell message in Endgame, during which a hologram of himself looks directly at his daughter, Morgan, and repeats her line, "I love you 3000."

It is certainly in the realm of possibility that Tony would have developed an AI version of himself, creating the perfect opportunity for the character to return in some capacity in the MCU's future. Armor Wars will feature a very Stark-heavy storyline, with Rhodey tracking down Stark tech that has fallen into the wrong hands while dealing with the aftermath of Iron Man's sacrifice. This would be the perfect place for some version of Tony to return, especially since Armor Wars will act as an unofficial spinoff from the Iron Man trilogy that introduced Rhodey to the MCU.

Why Tony Stark’s Return Is Important For Armor Wars

Iron Man and War Machine next to each other

Armor Wars is set to be an emotional tribute to the MCU career of Tony Stark, potentially revisiting some old faces who've gone toe-to-toe with the original Avenger and delving deeper into the grief of the people closest to him. However, if Tony himself was to appear as an artificial intelligence, the storyline would certainly have more conflict and gravitas. Tying as big a name to the project as Robert Downey Jr would bring mass audiences into theaters when Armor Wars releases, and could set the stage perfectly for a proper return later on, with many returning Marvel characters in the Avengers: Secret Wars line-up.

Next: Marvel Doesn't Need To Bring Back RDJ's Iron Man Anymore