'Iron Man' director Jon Favreau recalls trying to stop Tony Stark's death in 'Avengers: Endgame' and regretting it
Remember Tony Stark/Iron Man's self-sacrificial death in Avengers: Endgame?
Iron Man director Jon Favreau actually tried to stop it, but he now regrets doing it.
In a Jimmy Kimmel Live! interview on Wednesday, April 22, Favreau revealed he contacted Endgame directors Joe and Anthony and objected to the eventual fate of his first Marvel Cinematic Universe character played by Robert Downey Jr.
"I called the Russos. I was like, ‘I don’t know about... I don’t think people... I don’t know if people are going to like... I don’t know! I think it’s going to really impact people because there were kids that grew up with that character,'” he said.
The filmmaker, however, had a change of mind after watching the Russos' movie for himself.
"But I have to tell you, it was handled so well by them. And Gwyneth [Paltrow] and Robert [Downey Jr.] did such a wonderful job acting, and I think it added a poignancy to it. I think they did a wonderful job," he recalled.
"I was wrong. I was wrong. I was choked up! Even though it’s a movie, those characters have been part of my life for so long," he continued.
The Russo brothers first told Variety in a video interview that Favreau strongly opposed their decision to put an end to Iron Man.
“I remember pacing on the corner of a stage on the phone with Favreau trying to talk him off a ledge because he’s like, ‘You can’t do this. It’s gonna devastate people, and you don’t want them walking out of the theater and into traffic.’ We did it anyway," Joe said.
Favreau directed Iron Man in 2008, the first entry in the highly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe of Marvel Studios. Tony Stark/Iron Man's death is seen as one of the biggest highlights in the MCU. He is now the director of the upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu film set to drop on May 22.
In July 2024, Downey Jr. made a shocking debut at Comic-Con International, donning the mask and green cape of Fantastic Four villain Doctor Doom in the upcoming MCU ensemble movie Avengers: Doomsday. It's slated for a Dec. 18 theatrical release.
