If you haven't watched Avengers: End Game, please be advised that MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW. The last installment of the Avengers series which released on April 26, 2019 saw Tony Stark aka the Iron Man's daughter Morgan say 'I Love you 3000' in response to his 'I love you tons.' The line caught everyone's attention when Tony in his hologram message to Morgan and wife Pepper Pots is seen saying he 'loves them 3000'.
The movie being a culmination of a 10 year story-line over 22 films, naturally came with a lot of Easter eggs and nods to its earlier stories. However fans couldn't quite put their finger around this line before a twitter user came up with this mind-blowing theory about the run-time of films in the Avengers' universe. [He included a run-time estimate of the yet unreleased Spider Man: Far From Home]
Look at the total run time for all the MCU movies. “I love you 3000”. Can’t cope... #AvengersEndgame pic.twitter.com/A6nj6bGaNd
— Ash (@AshBoio) May 2, 2019
The entire screentime of Marvel Cinematic Universe is 3000 minutes.
— izzy ︽✵︽ ⍟⃝ ᱬ saw Endgame (@danversdelrey) April 29, 2019
I love you, 3000. pic.twitter.com/2G8UXfdoJI
However, there seems to be minor discrepancies with the run time calculation, not to mention the run time of other unreleased Avengers movies like the Black Widow were not included. Also, there was this other logical explanation of 1 ton equaling 2,000 pounds (a measure used in the US) and using 3,000 in return meant loving 'more'.
When Tony says “I love you tons” she says “I love you 3000”
— ASH (Foodhunter) (@Ashril_92) April 29, 2019
A ton is 2000 pounds. Saying I love you 3000 means she loves him more
☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 #AvengersEndgame
Putting an end to these theories, one of the writers of Avengers: End Game, Christopher Marcus finally revealed the story behind the now most-talked about 'I love you 3000' line. He was quoted in an interview as saying “Well, as much as we’d like to take credit for what is inevitably going to be one of the most memorable lines in MCU history, that is something that Robert (Downey Jr.) and his children actually say to each other. He brought it from real life onto the set.”
Thank you to all the fans around the world for being part of our universe. We love you 3000. #AvengersEndgame pic.twitter.com/ZAHYQDetZ5
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) April 28, 2019
Co-writer Stephen McFeely added that in the script, the line was supposed to read, "Love you tons. Love you tons." In another interview, the directors of the movie have said that using a line from Robert Downey Jr.'s personal life was a perfect way to pay homage to his exit from the MCU, since his contract ended with Avengers: End Game.