According to a new report from Variety, Marvel is considering a dramatic-sounding option to help revive the MCU. Nothing is locked down, and it might be wishful thinking, but sources told the site that Marvel is mulling the possibility of getting the band back together for an Avengers team-up movie featuring major characters who died in previous films.
According to the report, a future Avengers movie could bring back Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, even though both characters died in Avengers: Endgame. Resurrecting characters is nothing new in the comic book world thanks in part to the multiverse and timelines. But, importantly, Variety noted that Marvel “hasn’t yet committed to the idea.” And even if Marvel does move ahead with this plan, costs might be an issue.
Variety reminds us that Downey Jr.’s fee is known to be $20 million or more to appear in the MCU as Iron Man. Johansson, meanwhile, had a high-profile lawsuit against Disney/Marvel over the movie Black Widow (where her reported appearance fee of $20 million came to light). In April this year, Johansson said she was “done” with Marvel. She added that the original Avengers film felt like a “sausage party” given how many more men there were than women.
Anything is possible in Hollywood, and getting the gang back together for another Avengers movie with the original cast certainly seems like it would be a compelling idea. The rest of the main Avengers cast includes Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Evans (Captain America), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), and more.
Marvel began 2023 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which made almost $500 million worldwide but was considered by some to be a commercial disappointment when comparing against other MCU films. Marvel’s biggest box office success in 2023 so far is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which earned almost $850 million globally. The company’s next film, The Marvels, is expected to have a huge opening weekend at the box office this month, but is not projected to be as big as the original Captain Marvel.
While it remains to be seen if Downey Jr. and Johansson might come back for another Avengers movie, the next Avengers film, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, is penciled in for release in 2026. Jonathan Majors plays Kang, but given his recent legal troubles, the Variety report said Marvel isn’t necessarily opposed to the idea of recasting him. It wouldn’t be unprecedented, either, as Terrence Howard originally played Rhodey before he was recast with Don Cheadle.
