The MCU Just Brought Back Iron Man 1 Year Before RDJ’s Avengers: Doomsday Return

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 8, "Tangled Web."

Marvel's animated Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series just introduced a new variant of Tony Stark's Iron Man, a whole year before Robert Downey Jr. makes his return to the MCU as a new powerful villain. Marvel Studios' animated Multiverse Saga projects, including What If...? and X-Men '97, have already debuted a number of Iron Man variants, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man just joined the club. It's great to see Iron Man continue to have a prominent role in the MCU, even after Tony Stark's emotional sacrifice in 2019's live-action Avengers: Endgame.

Robert Downey Jr. portrayed the live-action Tony Stark between 2008's Iron Man and Endgame, becoming one of the MCU's most central and prevalent figures in that 11-year period. After a lengthy hiatus from Marvel, Downey Jr. was confirmed to be rejoining the franchise at 2024's SDCC, but not as Iron Man, rather as iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom. Even though Downey Jr. will be appearing as a villain in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, Marvel is still raising hopes that Iron Man could also return to live-action in Phase 6's dramatic conclusion.

Iron Man Returns To The MCU In Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Mick Wingert Voices Iron Man In Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Reprising his role from What If...?, Mick Wingert voices a new variant of Tony Stark's Iron Man in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 8, "Tangled Web." Iron Man appears to apprehend Dr. Otto Octavius following the raid on his warehouse and the debut of his robotic Doctor Octopus limbs. Octavius surrenders after Iron Man's appearance, proving that the armored Avenger is feared in this animated alternate reality. While this is a different version of Iron Man to Robert Downey Jr.'s iteration, he seems to have followed a similar storyline.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 1 takes place around the time of the Sokovia Accords' establishment and the Avengers' Civil War, and subsequent disbandment, which occurred during the MCU's Phase 3. The Avengers' battle in Leipzig was glimpsed in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 4, "Hitting the Big Time," and Tony Stark is also a world-renowned celebrity in this reality. This all implies that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's Iron Man is practically the same as Robert Downey Jr.'s hero, which makes us want to see Iron Man back in the MCU even more.

I Still Really Want To See More Iron Man In The MCU

Iron Man Hasn't Been Seen In The MCU Since Avengers: Endgame

Robert Downey Jr. being revealed to be returning to the MCU came as a huge shock in July 2024, and this was especially surprising as he was confirmed to be debuting as Doctor Doom, rather than reprising his previous MCU role. However, just the fact that Downey Jr. is coming back creates the perfect opportunity for Tony Stark's Iron Man to return to live-action, too. Downey Jr. could easily appear as a variant of Iron Man alongside his new MCU supervillain, and Marvel's recent animated Multiverse Saga shows have only made viewers want this more.

There has been no confirmation from either Marvel Studios or Robert Downey Jr. that Tony Stark's Iron Man will be returning to live-action. However, with so many animated variants knocking around out there, it seems likely that at least one of these new versions will be joining the fight against Doctor Doom in the MCU's Phase 6. It would likely feel strange to have an epic Multiverse Saga-concluding event without Iron Man's involvement, and after Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man saw the armored Avenger back in action, this could be more likely than ever.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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