It might be difficult to picture Robert Downey Jr. as anyone other than Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, director Jon Favreau recently shared that Downey was considered for a different superhero role before he became the iconic Tony Stark.
In a retrospective celebrating the 15th anniversary of Iron Man, which launched Phase One of the MCU in 2008, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Favreau reflected on the film’s journey with Downey as the lead. Favreau recalled, “I remember you had all met with him [Downey] already for like Doctor Doom or something on another project. I think he had come through on maybe Fantastic Four, so everybody sort of knew who he was.”
While Favreau did not specify how far Downey progressed in the audition process for Tim Story’s 2005 film, it is known that the movie rights to Fantastic Four were held by 20th Century Fox until Disney acquired the studio in 2019. Favreau mentioned that they eventually brought Downey in for a screen test for Iron Man, where they recognized “that spark in him” and realized he was the perfect fit for the role.
“Once it was him, that’s when my life got a lot easier because he understood the voice of the character,” Favreau explained. “And then one by one, people were just signing on board because now it became something interesting.”
Iron Man went on to gross over $585 million worldwide, with Downey reprising his role in two sequels, four Avengers films, Captain America: Civil War, and more. Feige credited Downey for playing a crucial role in shaping the MCU into what it is today. “I remember on later movies — we’ll talk about them on the 15th anniversary of those — there were dark days,” Feige said. “I would say to Robert, ‘We wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for you,’ meaning we wouldn’t have a studio if it wasn’t for him. Or you [Favreau].”
In a twist of fate, Downey Jr. almost took on the role of Doctor Doom, the villain in the Fantastic Four film. Favreau noted, “I remember you had all met with him already for like Doctor Doom or something on another project.” Ultimately, the role went to Julian McMahon, but Downey Jr. soon landed the lead role in Iron Man.
Favreau described Downey as “the puzzle piece that made it all work,” adding, “I remember sitting down with the guy, and I was like, ‘He’s got that spark in him in his eye and he’s ready.’ That’s when we were in [Marvel boss Kevin Feige’s] office, and we were pointing to his headshot, saying, ‘We got to try to figure this out.’”
Once Downey was cast, Favreau felt a sense of relief. “Once it was him, that’s when my life got a lot easier,” he said. “Because he [had] the voice of the character. And then one by one, people were just signing on board because now it became something interesting.”
Downey Jr. portrayed Iron Man in ten films, concluding his journey with the character in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Despite his character’s demise, Downey Jr. expressed his willingness to return to the MCU, stating, “It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me. And look, I always say, never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
Many have credited Marvel for revitalizing Downey Jr.’s career after a long struggle with addiction. Former Marvel president David Maisel recalled the skepticism surrounding Downey’s casting, saying, “My board thought I was crazy to put the future of the company in the hands of an addict. I helped them understand how great he was for the role. We all had confidence that he was clean and would stay clean.”
In a recent Netflix documentary titled SR, Downey Jr. discussed addiction and his journey to recovery alongside his father. He emphasized the importance of addressing the topic, stating, “It’s incomplete if you don’t. I also hate puff pieces. There’s so many examples of it right now where everyone’s trying to get their narrative out there.”
Downey Jr. also shared insights on why discussions about addiction can be uncomfortable. “Nobody wants to admit complete defeat over trying to deal with something like alcoholism or addiction,” he explained. “I still think there’s this section of our culture that thinks it’s a moral weakness. And also, you feel bad about all the crazy [stuff], so then there’s the guilt button.”
In an alternate universe, one can imagine Robert Downey Jr. playing the villain. After he first donned the Iron Man suit in 2008, Favreau revealed during the anniversary retrospective that Downey Jr. had auditioned for the role in Fantastic Four.
“I remember you had all met with him already for like Doctor Doom or something on another project,” Favreau recounted. The part of Doctor Doom ultimately went to Julian McMahon, but Downey Jr. soon found his place as Iron Man.
Favreau praised Downey Jr. as “the puzzle piece that made it all work” in Iron Man, recalling the moment they recognized his potential. “I remember sitting down with the guy, and I was like, ‘He’s got that spark in him in his eye and he’s ready.’”
Feige acknowledged the dynamic between Favreau and Downey Jr. as a significant factor in the MCU’s success. “That tone that you and Robert discovered on that movie, I would say became the template in a way for much of what the MCU became,” he noted.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during later films, Feige remarked, “I remember on later movies – we’ll talk about them on the 15th anniversary of those – there were dark days. And I would say to Robert, ‘We wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for you.’”
As Tony Stark, Downey Jr. eventually teamed up with Chris Evans, who portrayed Captain America, in 2011, six years after Evans starred as the Human Torch in Fantastic Four. Downey Jr. concluded his journey in the MCU with Avengers: Endgame, but Feige has since stated that they will not revisit that moment. “We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige told Vanity Fair. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Source: Movieguide®, Variety
