Gwyneth Paltrow’s Marvel character Pepper Potts is known for keeping Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., in check. But after a mysterious photo appeared online, some “Avengers” fans are theorizing that she may save Stark from more than just himself.
If this new theory is true, it means Paltrow will don an Iron Man suit of her own.
The theory stems from a photo that appeared online last week that purports to show a new “Avengers 4” toy line. Fans believe it shows a blurry image of Potts (far lower right) in a suit called Rescue Armor that, according to the comics, Stark built for her in secret.
Hasbro, which makes the “Avengers” toy line, did not return a request for comment. HuffPost was unable to confirm the authenticity of the photo, but the lower-right caption, translated from the Chinese, does refer to an “interchangeable action figure combo pack.”
This theory is further supported by a now-deleted video Paltrow posted in 2017 while filming “Avengers: Infinity War” and the still-untitled “Avengers 4.” In it she’s wearing a motion capture outfit, which actors like Downey wear so that their armored suits can be added later in postproduction.
As Nerdist’s Jessica Chobot explains in the video above, if the theory is true, Paltrow’s character Pepper Potts might play a more pivotal role than she has in past Marvel films.
John Zhou contributed reporting.