News culture Long before he became Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. could have played another Marvel character, and it’s not a superhero
If there’s one actor who embodies the MCU all by himself, it’s Robert Downey Jr. After playing Tony Stark aka Iron Man for over 10 years, many say he’s the best casting choice in a long time. But did you know he could have played another Marvel character?
Robert Downey Jr. could have played a Marvel villain
Despite the decline of this cinematic universe in recent years, we must not forget the influence that the MCU has had on cinema since its inception. In addition to popularizing a genre that was previously reserved for a small audience niche, the Marvel films have also established a new blockbuster standard and have shone in particular for their always precise and impressive cast. And among the actors best chosen to portray their superheroes, we find, of course, Robert Downey Jr. By taking on the role of Tony Stark in the first Iron Man film in 2008, he simply became the symbol of the entire MCU and many no longer imagine this character as anything other than that of the actor.
But a few years before the face of Iron Man changed, Robert Downey Jr. had auditioned to play another role in another Marvel film. At least that’s what Jon Favreau and Kevin Feige taught us a conversation on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the film Iron Man :
I remember you had already met him for an audition for the role of Doctor Doom. I think he stood out in the Fantastic Four casting so everyone knew who he was.
Although both characters wear an iron mask, we can’t say they are very similar. Finally, the time has come Julian McMahon who was chosen to play Doctor Doom in the 2005 film, but you could almost say it was good news for Downey Jr.
The one and only Tony Stark
Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine Iron Man in any other form than that of Robert Downey Jr. It must be said that he has played the character perfectly since then Iron Man in 2005 to Avengers: Endgame in 2019, and it will probably stay in the memory of many viewers. In the same video chat, Jon Favreau calls Downey Jr. “the piece of the puzzle that made it all work.” According to him, the actor already had a certain “Sparkle in the eyes“, which showed his determination.
Kevin Feige, for his part, believes that much of the success of the MCU in general is thanks to Robert Downey Jr. The tone he used towards Favreau in the first film was “the model of what the MCU has become“. Feige also adds that he enjoyed blaming Downey Jr. for all the problems they might face. He then told him: “Without you we wouldn’t be in this mess“, which suggests The MCU itself could never have existed without the actor. Today, some viewers miss his role so much that, despite the fatal fate of his character, hopes for his return to the screen are heard. On this subject, however, Kevin Feige made it clear: we should not count on it. The MCU will therefore have to continue to renew itself by giving a little more space to other characters, as it should Captain America: Brave New World For example.
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