What Robert Downey Jr. most misses about being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is revealed. In the 2008 movie Iron Man, which served as the MCU’s debut entry, Downey Jr. played the lead role. He would later make appearances in a total of 11 MCU films. Downey Jr. played the role of billionaire genius Tony Stark in three Iron Man movies and four Avengers movies, making Tony one of the most essential and essential characters in the MCU. Downey Jr. left the MCU after 11 years when Tony gave his life in the 2019 Avengers: Endgame, the last chapter of The Infinity Saga.

Tony’s legacy lives on in the MCU even after his passing, as following Marvel movies frequently mention his selfless act. But since 2019, Downey Jr. hasn’t really made an appearance in a Marvel film.

Downey Jr. explains what he misses most about the MCU in an interview with Deadline. According to Downey Jr., he misses “being in the trenches” with Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige and going through the production process with each Iron Man director. He continues by praising the filmmakers Jon Favreau, Shane Black, and the Russo Brothers, each of whom helped Downey Jr. embrace Tony Stark from beginning to end and made his tenure in the MCU unforgettable. The complete statement from Downey Jr. is below.

What I miss most? Being in the trenches with Kevin Feige throughout; the beginning, with Jon Favreau, it’s like a beautiful dream now; the middle, with Shane Black on Iron Man 3, we’d just had Exton and shot it mostly in Wilmington N.C. It was idyllic and subversive. And The End, when I realized I’d made so many close friends in the MCU cast, and the Russo Brothers helping me embrace Tony’s arc.