Robert Downey Jr. used to be the one constant of the Marvel Cinematic Universe together, and then he wasn't. More than a dozen starring appearances and three solo outings later, RDJ got a literal hero's send-off when Iron Man sacrificed himself against Thanos at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Since then, the MCU and Earth-616 has spent one movie and the entirety of Phase 4 trying to move on from the massive shadow cast by RDJ and his in-universe character, Tony Stark, who's better known as Iron Man. But, while RDJ's exit from the MCU couldn't have been any better, the rumors suggest that Marvel Studios will bring him back in 3-4 years.
According to @MyTimeToShineH, Marvel Studios has struck a deal with Robert Downey Jr. to bring him back as Iron Man in Avengers: Secret Wars, which premieres on May 1, 2026.
The final film of Phase 6 will see the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga. Seeing as the MCU's next big baddie is going to be worse than Thanos, Earth's Mightiest Heroes will need a lot of help. If we believe the rumors, RDJ's Iron Man could be one of them. In addition to this, the deal to bring RDJ's Iron Man back could also involve appearances in the upcoming Armor Wars movie.