Why Iron Man 4 never happened (and why it never will)

Iron Man is one of the most pivotal superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Heck, there would be no MCU without Iron Man, as it was his first movie that launched the franchise back in 2008. Robert Downey Jr. changed the game with his performance as Tony Stark in that film, which proved to be a major win for Marvel Studios, the MCU as a film series, and the superhero genre as a whole (as it proved there were still hits to be made outside of Batman, Spider-Man, X-Men, and Superman).

Iron Man may have launched the MCU but it also kickstarted its own series of movies too. In fact, one of the first actions that Marvel took with the franchise was to commission a second movie. By the time the third one came out, there was no denying Tony Stark's appeal as, with the help of the success of The Avengers (which Tony appeared in), Iron Man 3 made over $1 billion at the box office.

But with the MCU's greatest days still ahead of the franchise at that point, why were the Iron Man franchise's best days behind it? That's a good question, as fans have continued to wonder why Iron Man 4 wasn't on Marvel's radar, especially after the success of the third movie.

The Iron Man trilogy told a complete story

The Iron Man trilogy holds up really well. Sure, the second movie is one of the MCU's weakest entries and the third often divides people, but as a whole, those three movies tell Tony Stark's story extremely well. And here's the thing: It's a complete story. It has a definitive beginning and a definitive ending, leaving Tony's arc (or at least the one that he's at the forefront of) in a very satisfying place.

When Iron Man began, he was an immature, selfish, narcissistic weapons manufacturer and over the course of that movie, he matured into a genuinely good person who wanted to atone for both his own and his company's sins. He became a hero as a result of that, but that didn't make him perfect, as he wrestled with his own mortality throughout the second movie (which often resulted in him pushing people away and rediscovering his selfish and narcissistic ways). And even though he literally overcame that (by creating a new element that powered the Arc Reactor keeping him alive), he continued to struggle with that throughout the third movie, particularly because his experiences in The Avengers made him realize that there are threats out there that he and his technology can't stop alone. That ultimately drove his fear of loss - a fear that Iron Man 3 dramatized extremely well.

When the credits rolled on that movie, however; Tony was a new man. He had come to terms with the trauma he had experienced and decided it was time to stop running away from it; to stop being so Tony about everything. He stopped letting fear drive him and decided to cease his undying commitment to devoting every waking moment to creating new Iron Man suits and spend more time with the people he loves instead, particularly Pepper Potts. He also decides that it's time to have the surgery to remove all of the pieces of shrapnel from around his heart, marking the end of an era for him - and, most importantly, the start of a new one.

The closing scene of Iron Man 3 features Tony disposing of the most recent Arc Reactor, throwing it off the cliff where his house used to be. It's an incredibly symbolic moment, as he's letting go of the life he once had and embracing the future as a new man. And even though it's not the last we see of Iron Man, he's no longer obsessed with trying to control the things that he can't.

There are a few loose threads left hanging, and much of those inform his arc in his many reappearances in the other MCU movies, but Tony is more focused on the future: His own, the world's, and even The Avengers. He's seen as a leader and a father figure by many of the new arrivals on the team and that's because he has become both of those things. His journey in the Iron Man trilogy got him there, so there just wasn't a need for a fourth movie from a story standpoint.

There were no plans for Iron Man 4

Even though the Iron Man trilogy was a huge box office success, with its final outing being its most successful by far, Marvel Studios didn't plan a fourth one. Robert Downey Jr.'s contract with Marvel expired after the release of the third one, and even though Iron Man 3 director Shane Black speculated that he could sign on for a fourth and final film, the actor instead signed a new contract that would see him reprise the role in sequels to The Avengers instead. And given the way that the third Iron Man movie ended, that made much more sense.

Downey Jr. confirmed that there weren't any plans for Iron Man 4 in a 2014 interview with Variety, telling the outlet that there "isn't one in the pipe".

"There isn’t one in the pipe... No, there’s no plan for a fourth ‘Iron Man.'"

- Robert Downey Jr., Variety (2014)

At the time that he made those comments, he had just completed production on Avengers: Age of Ultron, which became Tony Stark's first post-Iron Man trilogy MCU movie. Though the actor hinted that he was getting tired of appearing in these high-production superhero movies at the time, it was confirmed that he would return for a third Avengers movie in the summer of 2018 (which would eventually become Avengers: Infinity War). What wasn't known was that Tony would become a regular of the MCU again before that, appearing in multiple movies between the Avengers flicks.

Tony Stark became a staple of the MCU outside of the Iron Man trilogy

Watching the MCU movies back is a pretty interesting experience, because it's practically front-loaded with Iron Man movies. The first two come early on in Phase One, while the third one opens Phase Two; leaving three more whole phases without a single Iron Man movie. You would think that a franchise like this would miss a character as lively as Tony Stark, but the beauty of it is that you never get a chance to miss him throughout the Infinity Saga as he continues to pop up quite regularly.

Tony's solo story may have culminated in Iron Man 3 but the loose threads carry over into Avengers: Age of Ultron, as his fear of losing his loved ones (particularly to a threat that he can't stop on his own) then influences his Avengers franchise arc. It comes to the forefront in both Infinity War and Endgame as he is confronted with that prospect through Thanos' arrival.

Meanwhile, he also becomes a leader in the franchise, which isn't too surprising considering he was the one who started all the heroics in the MCU's early days. Look no further than Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming, as he attempts to be a father-figure to Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man. He doesn't want the young hero to make the same mistakes that he did, and only a seasoned, developed Tony could have been in a position to lead like that; a place that the events of his own trilogy helped him reach.

Similarly, he attempts to counsel The Avengers on what he thought was right when it came to signing the Sokovia Accords. For better or worse, Tony thought he was making the right choice, and though it only influenced the tension between him and fellow Avengers leader Steve Rogers, he was doing what he was doing in a bid to lead the team into the future. And he was a big enough person to eventually realize that he was wrong when the time came, even reaching out to Steve for help when the threat of Thanos became a reality.

This character journey would not have been possible without Tony's development in the Iron Man trilogy. The Tony at the beginning of that trilogy would not have made the same choices or conducted himself like the revered and respected leader that he eventually became. While his own arcs were carried forward in these subsequent MCU movies, they were too intertwined in other characters' stories to be told across another Iron Man movie, and thus Marvel made the right choice in having him remain on as an overarching figure in other movies instead. It all came together brilliantly and complemented the story that the Iron Man trilogy told.

Tony's story comes full-circle in Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame was the game-changer that the MCU had been building towards since it kickstarted the Infinity Saga with 2008's Iron Man. It's not surprising that it brought the stories of multiple characters, including Tony Stark himself, full-circle.

(If you haven't seen Avengers: Endgame (first of all: Where were you and why not?!), then look away now, for we're edging into major SPOILER territory.)

All of Iron Man's deepest, darkest fears came to fruition in Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos snapped half of the universe out of existence. Tony wasn't one of "blipped" souls, but he had to remain in a world where he lost so many of his loved ones, and he couldn't save them. And still; he was one of the lucky ones, so he tried to make the most of that and start a family with Pepper Potts. The two are married and have a lovely daughter named Morgan. But when he's given the opportunity to save his friends, he takes it.

There's a sad irony in the fact that Tony manages to undo his greatest fear by sacrificing his own life. A man who was once deemed a selfish narcissist commits the most selfless of all acts, using the Infinity Stones to eradicate Thanos once and for all. He does this after The Avengers successfully bring back the lost ones, meaning that he finally achieves his decade-long mission of protecting his loved ones from that unbelievable threat. He got that second chance and made the most of it.

Tony's story comes to a conclusion in Avengers: Endgame. It's a bittersweet conclusion because, as fulfilling as it is for the character's journey, it's heartbreaking that he had to lay down his own life to achieve that peace he had been longing for. But only after everyone was safe was Iron Man's work done. And even though his family, friends, and the fans of Iron Man all around the world were distraught to lose Mr. Stark, they were all safe because of him.

There may have been an opportunity for a fourth Iron Man movie somewhere in Phases Two and Three, but Marvel made the wise decision to instead reintroduce him into the franchise in a supporting role. Not only did that prevent watering down the trilogy's arc, it allowed his story to complement other characters and movies, making the MCU a much more coherent product as a result of that. And with Tony now dead, Iron Man 4 has shifted from "unlikely" to "impossible". Considering how strong his story ended in Avengers: Endgame, that is the absolute right call.

The legacy of Iron Man carries on in the MCU

The death of Tony Stark has absolutely ruled out any possibility of Iron Man 4 happening in the MCU, but that doesn't mean that the character's presence won't continue to be felt. After all, the man who saved half the universe (and kickstarted the MCU) deserves to be celebrated.

The very first movie after Tony died was Spider-Man: Far From Home and that focused on the impact he had made on Peter Parker, who was determined to carry on his legacy. At first he thought that meant becoming "the next Iron Man" but he eventually realized that it simply meant to make Spider-Man the hero that Tony knew he could be, and that's exactly what he did.

One of Tony's greatest assets was his creative mind. Stark Industries was a force because of his brilliance and it will continue to be so in the MCU, with Pepper Potts running the show as its CEO. And as for his suits, well, those will continue to play a role in the storytelling throughout the Multiverse Saga and beyond.

The upcoming movie Armor Wars will be led by Don Cheadle, as Tony's longtime best friend Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes will attempt to preserve Iron Man's legacy when his technology falls into the wrong hands. Meanwhile, Disney Plus series Ironheart will focus on Riri Williams, a brilliant creative young woman who designed a suit that could rival the iconic Iron Man armor.

So, even though Iron Man 4 won't be happening, the presence of Tony Stark will continue to be felt throughout the MCU. And, given that this is the Multiverse Saga, we wouldn't be surprised if an alternate version of Tony Stark showed up at some point, either. Anything can happen in the Multiverse Saga (just not Iron Man 4).