RDJ outlines his plans to leave the MCU: "I just want to hang up my jersey before it's embarrassing"

Robert Downey Jr. may still be in the MCU for Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War but, if his recent comments are anything to go by, it sounds like he’s getting ready to hang up his helmet for good.

Speaking to news.com.au, RDJ has opened up about clearly having the time of his life playing Iron Man in several MCU movies, but he’s incredibly wary of doing one movie too many and ruining his legacy, “Everyone says to me it’s like a glove that fits so well. I have to start over every time but I am starting over with a pretty solid base. I just never want to blow it for the last six or seven [MCU movies] I have done by dropping the ball because I decided to go do it one more time. I just want to hang up my jersey before it’s embarrassing.”

Downey, though, is incredibly unselfish when deciding whether to end his stint as Tony Stark (wouldn’t you be if you picked up a multi-million dollar paycheck?) and knows he provides a platform for directors and new stars alike: “It’s this cyclical thing. I could have said when the first Avengers came out: ‘It’s never going to get any better than that. Everybody stop’. But to me, it’s always about people and opportunities, like the Russos, who I adore.”

With all of this retirement talk, surely it’s time for RDJ to step aside for a new breed of MCU stars? Or will we see Iron Man eventually rust in his 45th outing?

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.