Warning: This article contains spoilers for “Avengers: Endgame,” which will be back in theaters on June 28.
SALT LAKE CITY — It turns out the climactic final battle in “Avengers: Endgame” wasn’t quite as huge behind the scenes — but it’s no less effective.
The AV Club reports new behind-the-scenes footage of Robert Downey Jr. sacrificing himself to defeat Thanos has surfaced on Instagram via Downey’s assistant, Jimmy Rich. The video shows the actor performing a snap on a green screen set.
In the movie, Tony Stark snaps away Thanos and his armies using the Infinity Stones. As the artifacts’ power swells in his body, Stark says “I am Iron Man.” This proves to be a final heroic action, as it leads directly to Stark’s death.
According to IndieWire, the scene — and the corresponding behind-the-scenes video — was the last moment from the film recorded during “Avengers: Endgame” reshoots. According to directors Joe and Anthony Russo, Stark originally said nothing during the scene.
"We were in the editing room going, ‘He has to say something. This is a character who has lived and died by quips,’” the directors said, according to SlashFilm. “And our editor Jeff Ford, who is an amazing storyteller, said, ‘Why don’t we just go full circle with it and say I am Iron Man?’ And we’re like, ‘Get the cameras! We have to shoot this tomorrow.'”
Joe Russo also said in an interview with CinemaBlend that Downey was unsure about reshooting the scene due to its emotional impact on the actor, who has played Iron Man for almost 12 years.
Fans will get the chance to revisit the pivotal scene this weekend if they so wish. I’ve previously written for Deseret News that “Avengers: Endgame” will rerelease in theaters on June 28 with additional post-credits footage, including deleted scenes and a tribute of some sort.