The first Iron Man movie was a turning point in actor Robert Downey Jr.’s career. Initially, Marvel did not like the idea of casting the actor as Tony Star/Iron Man. The studios didn’t want a self-destructive actor like him. On top of that, he had a history of drug abuse but director Jon Favreau fought for him and convinced everyone that he is perfect for the role.
Today, everyone associates the actor with the iconic role as he became the face of the MCU. Long before his Iron Man days, the actor was once considered to play Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989). However, he lost the role of Michael Keaton because of his age.
Robert Downey Jr. almost played the Batman
Not many people know that before the actor Michael Keaton, a lot of actors were shortlisted to play the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989). Even actor Robert Downey Jr. was on that list as Burton personally wanted to see him play the iconic role.
However, it never worked out because of Robert Downey Jr’s age. The actor was 24 at the time and Burton wanted an older actor to play the role. Michael Keaton was 37 when he starred in the movie.
The actor played the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man in the MCU
Robert Downey Jr. couldn’t get the role of a billionaire in the DC universe, but he managed to get it in the MCU many years later. MCU’s Phase One began in 2008 with the release of Iron Man. He played the iconic role of Tony Stark, a genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist.
The actor helped launch the entire MCU. The actor played the role so well that it is really hard to see any other actor playing the role. He received several awards and made a cultural impact with his portrayal of Iron Man.
Marvel Studios didn’t want to hire Robert Downey Jr.
Marvel Studios initially didn’t want Robert Downey Jr. to play the iconic role as Iron Man (2008) was a major project and the actor was less popular for his acting and more popular for his history of drug abuse.
Director Jon Favreau was the man that made it possible as he fought for him and convinced the studios that the “story of Iron Man was really the story of Robert’s career.” Fast forward to 2023, the actor played Tony Stark/Iron Man in 10 Marvel movies. The actor reportedly earned about $75 million from Avengers: Endgame (2019) alone. It is believed that he has made over $400 million from the franchise.
Source: The Richest
