Robert Downey Jr. will never let anyone recreate him in AI, and says he'll automatically sue anyone who tries, even after he's dead: "My law firm will still be very active"

Robert Downey Jr. says he doesn't want Hollywood to replicate his likeness ever and intends to sue anyone who tries to create an AI version of himself, even after he is dead. 

"There's two tracks. How do I feel about everything that's going on? I feel about it minimally because I have an actual emotional life that's occurring that doesn't have a lot of room for that," said Downey on an episode of the On With Kara Swisher podcast when asked about being digitally recreated. "I don't envy anyone who has been over-identified with the advent of this new phase of the information age."

However, when the conversation turned to whether an Iron Man reboot replicating his Tony Stark using AI could ever happen, Downey said he's sure that the present team at Marvel Studios would never do that. "I am not worried about them hijacking my character's soul," explained the star, "they would never do that to me, with or without me."

In case any future Marvel executives get the bright idea to raise Downey's Stark from the grave, the star intends to take legal action, even if he isn't here himself to do so. "I would like to here state that I intend to sue all future executives just on spec," said the star. "You'll be dead," replied Podcast host Swisher, to which Downey stated plainly, "But my law firm will still be very active."

The good news is that although we may never see an AI version of the Oscar winner take to the screen, the very real Downey is heading back to the MCU very soon but not as Stark. As announced at Comic-Con 2024, the star will suit up as Marvel villain Doctor Doom in the upcoming movie Avengers 5, officially titled Avengers Doomsday, heading to theaters in 2026.

For more, check out our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order, or see our list of upcoming Marvel movies heading your way.