Jon Favreau Said NO To Iron Man's Death In Avengers Endgame - Why Did He Agree With Russo Bros Later?

Robert

Downey Jr is making a comeback to the MCU, but not as Iron Man. He's set to turn into the new antagonist of the Mutiverse Saga - Victor von Doom aka Doctor Doom. When Kevin Feige revealed RDJ's return, it was the biggest shock and the most unexpected decision by Marvel. That's because we had already bid a tearful farewell to Tony Stark and RDJ in Avengers: Endgame. However, the character's onscreen death was not initially approved by every Marvel stalwart. Jon Favreau, specifically, wasn't in favour and even tried to stop Tony Stark's death. For the unversed, Favreau was instrumental in the casting of RDJ as Tony Stark, and even directed the first Iron Man (2098).

Jon Favreau cast Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man in MCU

Jon Favreau is one of the founding members of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who later even played the character of Harold "Happy" Hogan, Tony Stark's bodyguard, close friend, and head of security for Stark Industries.

Why did Jon Favreau oppose Iron Man's death?

In an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Favreau recalled how he opposed Iron Man's death in the initial stages of planning Endgame. Infact, he even "warned" director duo Joe and Anthony Russo against killing the main Marvel man off in the 2019 tentpole. According to him, he was concerned about the audience reaction to the fan-favourite character's death."I talked to the Russos, I said ‘I don’t know if people are gonna like… I don’t know, it’s really going to impact people because they were kids that grew up with that character," Favreau shared, on the sidelines of promoting his upcoming Star Wars directorial The Mandalorian and Grogu.Favreau added that he later realised the crucial plot point and praised the Russos for weaving the storyline around it. "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. 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 said.

Marvel gears up for Avengers: Doomsday

Marvel is currently gearing up for the release of its next mega production, Avengers: Doomsday. Disney recently held a screening of its exclusive footage during its CinemaCon 2026 presentation. The video included Doctor Doom, Steve Rogers, Thor, and others.Avengers: Doomsday blends the Avengers with the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and the Thunderbolts. It is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on December 18, 2026.