The Spider-Man: No Way Home writers revealed why Robert Downey Jr. didn’t pop up as Iron Man.
If there’s one thing that Spider-Man: No Way Home confirmed, it was that the multiverse has endless possibilities. Not only did the multiverse bring together three different incarnations of Peter Parker, but it also saw the return of numerous villains, most of whom were resurrected. If Spider-Man: No Way Home confirmed that dead bad guys, like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin or Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus can return, then the same sentiment can be extended towards good guys, no?
Seeing as Tom Holland’s Peter Parker had a strong bond with Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, wouldn’t it stand to reason that the young webhead would call upon an alternate version or Mr. Stark to gain some advice? While appearing on The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith, Spider-Man: No Way Home writer Chris McKenna revealed why Robert Downey Jr. didn’t return for the Tom Holland-led film.
“Honestly, that’s like a non-starter in the halls of Marvel, at least in our experience. They just don’t really like constantly invoking… I mean, Tony cast such a large shadow even after Endgame, which we dealt with in Far From Home. But I think everyone felt like we can’t just keep on going to the Tony well. And I think what we started realizing as we were writing this is that he wasn’t the Uncle Ben. I mean, he was a father figure. There was a bond between them. In Endgame he even has a photo of Peter and it seems to be the final moral impetus to have him risk everything to try to reset the balance of the universe.
Seeing Robert Downey Jr. return as Iron Man would have been great as always but it certainly would have toed on the lines of regurgitation and would have undermined his farewell in Avengers: Endgame. With Tony Stark out of the way, it became clear that the film was about Peter trying to live up to Aunt May’s code of ethics, which have followed him since Homecoming.
“But I think in writing this we started realizing that we had an opportunity here to tell a different story for Peter Parker that by the end of this movie, maybe, is a different origin story than everyone else has assumed up to this point. And I don’t think having Tony there would have done anything. I think we start realizing that the moral impetus, the guide post of his life is May. And that for the first time he is tested about whether he can actually truly live up to this code that she’s instilled in him. That is what this Peter Parker story is all about.”
Here is the synopsis for Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man: No Way Home:
“For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero’s identity is revealed, bringing his Super Hero responsibilities into conflict with his normal life and putting those he cares about most at risk. When he enlists Doctor Strange’s help to restore his secret, the spell tears a hole in their world, releasing the most powerful villains who’ve ever fought a Spider-Man in any universe. Now, Peter will have to overcome his greatest challenge yet, which will not only forever alter his own future but the future of the Multiverse.”
Directed by Jon Watts from a script written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, No Way Home stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Tony Revolori, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Benedict Wong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, and Jamie Foxx, with Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is playing in theaters. Stay tuned for all the latest news on Tom Holland’s future as Spider-Man, and be sure to subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more original video content.
Source: The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith
