Writer-director Jon Favreau successfully launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2008’s Iron Man, but there was one MCU move he admits that he resisted behind the scenes: killing off Robert Downey Jr.’s beloved Tony Stark in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday to promote his upcoming Star Wars film The Mandalorian and Grogu, Favreau says he called up Anthony and Joe Russo to push back against their plan to end the character he helped create.
“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 said. “But I have to tell you, it was handled so well by them. And Gwyneth [Paltrow] and Robert 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.”
Favreau admitted even he got emotional when he watched the film. “I was choked up,” he said. “Even though it’s a movie, those people, those characters, have been part of my life for so long.”
Favreau added he’s “excited to see” Downey as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. He noted the “smartest thing I ever did” was give himself a cameo as the character Happy Hogan in the first Iron Man movie, because he’s been invited back to appear so many times in the franchise that the role has “put my kids through school.”
Asked who is “scarier,” Star Wars fans or MCU fans, Favreau diplomatically replied they’re “equally invested” in their respective franchises, but Star Wars fans have a longer attachment given the first film came out in 1977.
Favreau showed a new clip from The Mandalorian and Grogu, which you can watch around the 9-minute mark in the footage below. The film opens May 22.
