Avengers: Endgame ended on a bittersweet note (well, more bitter for Tony Stark fans) as Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man sacrificed himself to save the universe. Endgame was touted to be Downey Jr’s last appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,  though fans are hoping that there might be some miraculous reversal of sorts and that the character might return.

Recently, it was revealed that Jon Favreau, who directed Iron Man and starred as Happy Hogan in the films, really tried hard to save the character and even begged Endgame directors, Joe and Anthony Russo to save him. While talking about Iron Man’s death, Anthony told Vanity Fair, “Part of the pressure came from Jon Favreau, who called us up after he read the script… and said to us, ‘Are you really going to kill Iron Man?’”

Joe added, “I remember pacing on the corner of a stage on the phone with Favreau trying to talk him off a ledge. Because he’s like, ‘You can’t do this. It’s gonna devastate people, and you don’t want them, you know, walking out of the theater and into traffic.’ We did it anyway.”

In the film, Tony Stark dies after sacrificing himself to save Thanos from wiping out the universe. Avengers Endgame became a raging success and emerged as one of the highest-earning blockbusters. At the San Diego Comic Con, two new Avengers films were announced, among several other Marvel projects.