7 May 2019, 16:02 | Updated: 28 August 2019, 11:06
By Katie Louise Smith
Avengers: Endgame's most iconic line wasn't even in the script - and it was all thanks to Robert Downey Jr.
Ever since Avengers: Endgame was released, the internet has been collectively sobbing over the stand-out moment involving Tony Stark and the now-iconic line "I love you 3000."
For weeks, fans have been trying to figure out what the phrase means and there was even speculation that it could have a deeper meaning that links to the run-time of all the movies in the MCU.
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Now, the true meaning behind the line has been revealed and it's gonna break your heart even more. Just like Avengers: Infinity War's heartbreaking stand-out line that was improvised by Tom Holland, Endgame's most iconic line was also not even scripted... it came as a suggestion from Robert Downey Jr himself.
The spoiler ban for Avengers: Endgame has now been lifted but as always, there will be major Endgame spoilers in this article. You've been warned!
What does "I Love You 3000" mean?
In the scene, which you'll have no doubt seen by now, Tony Stark puts his daughter Morgan (Lexi Rabe) to bed. Just before he closes the door, he says "I love you tons," and Morgan replies, "I love you 3000." The line is also spoken again, by Tony's hologram to Morgan at his funeral.
Within days of release, the quote became an immediate fan favourite moment and sort of became the MCU fandom's mantra. The stars of the film even began hash-tagging it as a way of thanking their fans and saying goodbye to the end of the chapter.
Several explanations for the line started doing the rounds, some thought it was a child-genius reply to Tony's initial remark, as 3000 is 1000 more than the 2000 pounds that is equivalent to a ton. There was even those who thought that the number 3000 was a reference to the total run-time of every movie in the MCU.
But in reality, it wasn't actually that deep - and it wasn't written by screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely either.
can you believe the "i love you 3,000" line that people have been saying non stop since endgame came out was actually brought to the movie because of rdj? his children actually say that to him irl and it just makes the line even more meaningful than before
— ⎊ saw endgame (@starkrevenge) May 2, 2019
Co-director Anthony Russo told Watching Hollywood: "That line is actually something Robert brought to the film. He said that one of his children once told him, 'I love you 3000.' We told the story to the screenwriters, and eventually it became a line in the script."
Originally, the line was supposed to be: "I love you tons," with "I love you tons," as Morgan's reply. But McFeely revealed at an event in New York City, that they changed it so Morgan would reply in the same way that RDJ's children do in real life.
