It’s unclear what the obsession is with resurrecting dead characters, but fans always want to. Whether it’s Chris Evans and his portrayal of Steve Rogers or Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, the moment they’re dead in the cinematic universe, fans want to know when they’ll return. And the circumstances of their departures matter little. When science-fiction realms allow characters to come back through metaphysical means, the only thing that counts to the viewer is resurrecting every beloved hero. The same is especially true of Scarlett Johansson’s character: Black Widow.
Unfortunately, the Lucy actress has closed the book on her Marvel career. When asked about Natasha’s potential return during a press junket, Johansson had a quick retort, “Natasha is dead. She is dead. Okay? They just don’t want to believe it.” Her statement should be enough for fans to quote-unquote get over their theorized resurrections, except some fans can’t wrap their minds around it.
RDJ's former character is in the same boat. Despite perishing in an act of nobility, finishing the story that began in 2008, audiences are stuck on getting the world’s Armored Avenger to make a comeback. Even after RDJ made a similar statement to Johansson’s, it still didn’t convince the masses.
Could Robert Downey Jr. Return To The Iron Man Character
For RDJ, though, the actor might consider delivering some fan service at the end of his time as Victor Von Doom. Plans, specifically the storyline for his new character are still being written, making predictions unreliable. Of course, a logical chain of events will follow: Doom enters the fold with a grand display, impacts the universe by murdering a major hero, interacts with a vigilante who forces him to confront conflicting beliefs, continues his crusade as a villain, and finally repents amid his defeat.
During that final phase, Doom might pause his drive as a villain—to manifest his inner Iron Man. Civilians in the MCU are inclined to mistake Doom for Stark since they share a face, meaning the character will get an unintentional history lesson at some point.
The most plausible scenario includes an early news report suggesting that Tony Stark is back but on a bad streak. That way, Doom gets an opportunity to learn about the face he shares—without spending an exorbitant amount of time recapping the last fifteen years for his knowledge alone. The audience knows what Stark accomplished, so summarizing it is unnecessary. Plus, plenty of characters will attempt to dissuade Doom from his path of villainy. Even though it's not Tony beneath the mask, Earth's Mightiest will try to get through to him nonetheless.
Once Doom is at the place of questioning his motives as a villain, RDJ can dispense with the conflicted act and embrace his inner Tony Stark again. Audiences would be thrilled to see the Armored Avenger, even if only for a brief moment. Marvel Studios leans into fan service, anyway. The collective lineup during the big battle of Avengers: Endgame is proof and then some.
Black Widow and the Iron Man movies are currently streaming on Disney Plus.