Ever since Captain America and Tony Stark made the ultimate sacrifice at the end of Avengers: Endgame, dedicated fans have wondered if that would truly be the last time we would ever see actors Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in costume. That concluding chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been cemented in modern cinema as a final goodbye to the original Avengers lineup, which also includes Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton/Hawkeye, and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. In support of Deadpool & Wolverine, the 34th film in the franchise and third in the Deadpool series, we sat down with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige to directly ask him about the possible MCU return of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America. And Feige’s answer, to great surprise, is more clear-cut than some fans might expect.
Deadpool & Wolverine brings Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson/Deadpool from 20th Century Fox’s now-defunct Marvel universe to the main MCU franchise. Along with him comes a new iteration of James “Logan” Howlett/Wolverine, once again played by the iconic Hugh Jackman, who first took on the role in 2000’s X-Men. Thanks to the multiverse hijinks of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) — a bureaucratic organization tasked with preserving the Sacred Timeline that was introduced in Marvel Studios’ Loki on Disney+ — MCU fans know that this version of the famous Marvel hero is a “variant.” He is not the same Wolverine who made the heartbreaking sacrifice at the end of James Mangold’s Logan. That character is still dead, as established by the film’s marketing. So, with Hugh Jackman having now made a comeback as Wolverine after 7 years, the question begs if the same can be done with other Marvel actors.
Kevin Feige on the Potential Return of Steve Rogers and Tony Stark
As part of our full Deadpool & Wolverine interview with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, we asked about the possible MCU return of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America. We used Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine as a base example, given that the last time audiences saw him as the character on the big screen, he also gave his life in a noble sacrifice. Without diving into spoilers, it’s through the machinations of the multiverse that Jackman can once again sport the adamantium claws (this time with a comic-accurate blue and yellow Wolverine suit as a bonus) without negating the epic finale of 2017’s Logan.
According to Kevin Feige, honoring Hugh Jackman’s legacy as Wolverine from the previous Fox regime was the “key” to bringing him back in a satisfying way. And if they wanted to bring back Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers or Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark later down the line in the MCU, Marvel Studios would have to pull off a similar feat. Read his full quote below.
That’s the key, right? How do you do it in a way that maintains what has come before, and in a great way? And we’ve been spending, you know, the last two-plus years figuring that out for Wolverine. So, what’s to come? We’ll see. We’re just proud that we, I think, have figured it out for Wolverine. I think Hugh’s appearance and starring role in [Deadpool & Wolverine] is a great sign that it can be done — if great care is taken.
Honoring Steve and Tony’s Legacy
In the grand finale of Avengers: Endgame, Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark brought every human being that was “snapped” away by Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Infinity War back into existence by forming an infinity gauntlet of his own. The snap that saved the MCU gave Stark his final “I Am Iron Man” moment, ending his life in the process due to Infinity Stone’s sheer power. Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, on the other hand, performed a different kind of selfless act. Rogers volunteered to return all six infinity stones back to their original safe places across space and time, choosing to stay in the past and live out his days with his love Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). He is still alive in the present day thanks to his super-soldier powers, but is left an old man who can no longer take on the role of Captain America.
No longer able to serve, Steve Rogers passes the red, white, and blue shield over to his comrade Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). Sam’s journey with the shield was continued in The Falcon & The Winter Solider on Disney+ and will pick up next year on the big screen with Captain America: Brave New World. In the meantime, Deadpool & Wolverine sheds some light on how Marvel Studios could possibly pull off a return for Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. The world’s highest-grossing movie franchise is now more than halfway through its “Multiverse Saga,” with there being only 4 films left until the next two Avengers sequels in 2026 and 2027. The vast potential of the multiverse has constantly unraveled threads that tie back to the previous Infinity Saga. But in the case of Deadpool & Wolverine, the MCU explores new methods to honor and revamp a once-retired character.
Do Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Evans Even Want to Return to the MCU?
Both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans have been asked numerous times over the years if they would like to reprise their beloved Marvel roles in the near future. Downey Jr. has been quite optimistic — even after his recent 2024 Oscar win for his supporting role as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. During a recent segment in Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” interview series, Downey Jr. revealed that he’s grown “surprisingly open-minded to the idea” of returning as Iron Man in the MCU. In his own words, “It’s just crazily in my DNA.” Chris Evans has seemed open-minded as well, but with a little more hesitation. Evans told ComicBook in 2022 that returning as Cap would “have to be perfect.” The actor later told GQ in 2023, “I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations.”
Deadpool & Wolverine is currently tracking to open at $360 million-plus at the global box office. This would be the biggest opening weekend ever for an R-rated film. Thus, it’s safe to say that Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine will be seen as a massive success. Whether Marvel Studios decides to bring back Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans as variants of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, similar to Jackman’s Wolverine, or through a form of time travel won’t be known until we get closer to the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion. However, according to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige himself, it can be done if great care is taken. If the box office wills it, it’s easy to imagine that this will happen sooner than later. We’ll have more from our MCU-spanning interview with Kevin Feige soon, right here on DiscussingFilm!
Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26!
Release Date: July 26, 2024.
Directed by Shawn Levy.
Written by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, & Shawn Levy.
Based on Marvel Comics.
Produced by Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy, & Lauren Shuler Donner.
Executive Producers: Louis D’Esposito, George Dewey, Wendy Jacobson, Simon Kinberg, Jonathon Komack Martin, Josh McLaglen, Mary McLaglen, Rhett Reese, & Paul Wernick.
Main Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapičić, Shioli Kutsuna, Randal Reeder, Lewis Tan, Aaron Stanford, Dafne Keen, Wunmi Mosaku, & dog actor Peggy.
Cinematographer: George Richmond.
Composer: Rob Simonsen.
Production Companies: Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, & 21 Laps Entertainment.
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Runtime: 128 minutes.
Rated R.
