Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark may have sacrificed himself back in Avengers: Endgame, but the Thunderbolts* teaser showed that his in-universe legacy continues to live on.
The Thunderbolts* teaser revealed some key elements from the upcoming film. For example, Wyatt Russell's John Walker is now a father, Ghost and Taskmaster will be sporting new looks, and the Thunderbolts team will be on a top-secret mission.
The footage also introduced fans to Lewis Pullman's new character Bob. He was only referenced as Bob in the teaser, but, once his true identity is revealed, he will go on to play an extremely important role in the movie and potentially the future of the MCU.
Tony Stark's Easter Egg in the Thunderbolts* Teaser
In the Thunderbolts* teaser, a few members of the film's titular team, such as Yelena Belova, John Walker, and Ghost, can be seen in a room that appears to be in some sort of skyscraper.
Also present is Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Val, who is seen walking away from a bar with a drink in hand.
However, the bar that can be seen in the shot may look a little familiar. It bears a lot of resemblance to Tony Stark's bar in Stark/Avengers Tower.
Many fans have already theorized that Val was the one to purchase Avengers Tower and that it is the location seen in the Thunderbolts* teaser.
The bar that Val is walking away from in the shot is designed with the same rock that Tony's bar featured, as well as the same vertical lines that go through it.
Both bars are also cut into the rock and feature a 90-degree corner.
The most important aspect of that shot from the trailer is that Val seemingly bought Avengers Tower, but it also proves that Tony Stark's memory continues to live on in the MCU, even years after his on-screen death.
By keeping something of Tony's around and featuring it on-screen, it is almost like a physical bit of Tony is still alive in the franchise.
How Tony's Bar Could Become a Plot Device
If the building in the Thunderbolts* teaser is, in fact, Avengers Tower, many fans would appreciate seeing Tony's bar as a bit of a callback and/or Easter egg.
However, Marvel Studios could use it as a plot device in the upcoming film, and, if done right, could drastically impact how fans view a certain character.
If Val purchased Avengers Tower, she would likely address that she was the one to do so. After all, Avengers Tower was the headquarters for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, so it would be an extremely important and recognizable building for a lot of people in-universe.
That would mean Val would also know that the bar belonged to Tony. In the teaser, she appears to be grabbing a drink from the bar, but it is possible that later on in the film she could have the bar completely removed and have something put in its place.
Since Val is on the villainous side anyway, her taking a piece of Tony Stark out of the MCU for good could cause fans to hate her character even more.
If she is going to establish herself as a major antagonist in Thunderbolts*, there would almost be no better way to get fans to hate her than to have her get rid of something that belonged to arguably the most well-liked character in the entire franchise.
It is also worth noting that Louis-Dreyfus revealed that she has signed on for several future appearances in the MCU, which makes it even more crucial to establish her as much as possible.
If Marvel Studios were to go that route, Tony's bar would be more than just a fun Easter Egg, and the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist would once again be making an impact on the greater MCU.
Thunderbolts* will be released in theaters on May 2, 2025.
