Even with a three-hour run time, some scenes didn’t make the cut in Avengers: Endgame, including the extended scene of Tony Stark’s death. It featured all of the Avengers, starting with Hawkeye, taking a knee for their fallen hero in a heartbreaking display of respect and camaraderie. As such, some viewers wondered why such an emotional moment was trimmed -- particularly when it gave clarity to Gamora’s disappearance. However, it was ultimately the right choice.
The funeral scene with the Avengers standing on the shore in mourning carried the same emotional weight. Having both displays of grief felt repetitive, drawing out an already lengthy ending. The Russo brothers opted to cut the scene because “the two scenes, when in the film together, seemed to fight one another.”
Why Cutting Tony Stark's Extended Death Scene Was Good
Including only Rhodey, Peter, and Pepper by Tony's side made his death deeply personal. The kneeling tribute captured a collective sense of grief but waiting to show everyone else until the funeral made each silent reaction feel unique. As the camera panned through the stoic crowd of grieving heroes, their individual pain, loss and respect are palpable.
The simplicity of Tony’s death, in contrast with the massive scope of the final battle, is what makes it feel so real. As moving as the Avengers kneeling was, it drew focus away from the intimacy between Tony and Pepper in his final moments. Keeping his death small was right for Avengers: Endgame because it ultimately reminds the audience that it wasn’t just Iron Man, the superhero who sacrificed himself; it was also Tony Stark, the man with a wife and a young daughter.
Is Tony Stark Gone From the MCU For Good?
Fans are far from done with Iron Man, with some demanding his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Luckily, there are many different avenues for the character's return. Rumors about an appearance in the upcoming Ironheart series started floating around when the show was announced. However, Stark's grand return could also come in an unexpected form as AI. In Civil War II, Iron Man clashes with Captain Marvel, ending up in a coma, but not before uploading his consciousness into AI form. The AI Tony Stark was eventually sent to none other than Riri Williams and served as her mentor when she takes on the Ironheart alias.
Iron Man is also confirmed to be in the upcoming What If...? series, but the details remain a mystery. Jeff Goldblum said in a BuzzFeed interview that an episode will include both the Grandmaster and Iron Man. A leaked What If...? Lego set featuring a Sakaarian Iron Man suit with Tony Stark, Valkyrie and The Watcher figurines sparked further speculation about a Thor: Ragnarok crossover. The genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist might turn up on Sakaar. The latest What If...? trailer teased a Tony Stark/Erik Killmonger team-up, opening in Afghanistan in 2008 where Iron Man’s story began. This time, he avoids taking shrapnel in his heart because Killmonger appears, catches the missile and throws it into the mountains.
While Robert Downey Jr. will not be voicing the character in the upcoming Disney+ show, in an April interview with GQ, he said, “I have alighted, for now. Real world to save. But never say never,” when asked about a return to the MCU. Death is rarely permanent in comics, but many argue that it would undo the emotional impact of Avengers: Endgame for Downey to return. However, since Loki has established the multiverse, the possibilities are endless for the return of fallen heroes (or the introduction of some new ones). Someone else may take up the mantle, but it is possible that RDJ's Iron Man will turn up in a different corner of the multiverse or in a flashback.