Robert Downey Jr. is the only actor who springs to mind when fans hear “Iron Man.” RDJ made his MCU debut as the Armored Avenger in Jon Favreau’s 2008 Iron Man. It became evident after the film’s popularity that Marvel was planning something major, and it was finally disclosed that the idea was to bring together the Avengers on screen.

During the eleven years following Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. returned his role ten times in films such as The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man 3, and Avengers: Infinity War. Endgame was the end of an era for the legendary MCU actor, who played Tony Stark, who sacrificed his life to defeat Josh Brolin’s Thanos. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe moves on from Iron Man, a special tie-in book reveals an emotional letter from Downey Jr.

RDJ Expresses Powerful MCU Homage

Robert Downey Jr. recently gave an emotional 1000-word homage to the MCU he wrote for the recently released The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe book. Before commenting on being cast as Tony Stark in 2008’s Iron Man, Downey gave a brief history of the MCU in his afterword. The veteran of the Marvel Cinematic Universe then explained how Iron Man director Jon Favreau came to the conclusion that the movie would work:

The most reflective and grounded frontman of the bunch,” said the Iron Man star about Black Panther’s Chadwick Boseman. For him Ryan Coogler is now on the “bleeding edge of an overdue paradigm shift” in Hollywood.

As a result of Paul Bettany’s transformation from voicing JARVIS to serving as the guardian of the Mind Stone, Downey named him the “best arc” of the bunch. Further, he acknowledged Samuel L. Jackson’s position as the franchise’s “connective tissue” and said he’s still in touch with Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Elizabeth Olsen, all of whom appear in the films.

Then, after reflecting on the Iron Man film’s success, Downey applauded the casting of Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans as Thor and Captain America, conceding that the Avengers seemed inevitable because of their hale and hearty outcomes from their involvement in the film.

The triumph of The Avengers in 2012 helped to launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe to new heights. Before finally applauding Chris Pratt, Paul Rudd, and Benedict Cumberbatch as third-quarter QBs who helped the franchise float higher still, Downey made sure to emphasize that in his letter.

To honor additional Marvel legends like Tom Holland, Downey passed the mantle to Brie, saying she’ll be a suitable and competent lead guard for the second decade of the MCU drama.

Interestingly, Downey also gave homage to Ryan Reynolds, the actor of Deadpool, to show that he is not distribute-specific concerning camaraderie.  In addition, Terrence Howard, who played James Rhodes in the original film, and the actors who played the villains he battled were all acknowledged by Downey.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, as well as executives Victoria Alonso and Louis D’Esposito, were all praised by Downey. To conclude, Downey thanked the audience and revealed that they had co-piloted the plot for all these years, delivering an emotional homage to them.

Iron Man’s Legacy Will Live On

Robert Downey Jr.’s heartfelt homage should serve as a timely reminder of the enormous impact the actor has had on the MCU. Downey Jr. takes readers on a journey down memory lane in the heartfelt homage letter, detailing how the superhero movies have impacted his life. However, he also ensured that his peers would be recognized, so it’s a celebration of both the actor’s remarkable career and his peers. With Downey formally handing the baton off to Brie Larson in the film, it’s clear that Captain Marvel will step in to fill the void left by Tony Stark’s departure from the MCU. Carol Danvers is “going to take the lead and be at the forefront of the entire Cinematic Universe,” according to Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige.

Ryan Reynolds’ name-dropping by Downey is also surprising, as it suggests that the MCU veteran was aware that the Deadpool actor would eventually join the Avengers team when he made the reference to Reynolds. Fans will be happy to hear the actor’s heartfelt appreciation for them, as it demonstrates how much they mean to the cast and crew who worked so hard to bring these stories to life on film.

Downey recently suggested a possible return to the MCU, noting that fans are capable of “[pushing] us toward what they want,” but it is unknown if he will return in the future. It’s safe to say that most people believe anything is possible right now.