Tom Cruise is a renowned American actor who has been able to impress audiences for decades with his dynamic performances and box-office hits. Over the years, Cruise has starred in numerous blockbuster films, including the Mission Impossible franchise, Top Gun: Maverick, Jerry Maguire, and much more. Cruise is known for his impressive stunts and dedication to his craft, often performing his own stunts in his action movies.
Cruise’s perfect action scenes have left his fans wondering if he will ever be seen playing the role of any superhero. It can indeed be said that the Mission Impossible star is a perfect fit to justify the role of a superhero. Fans’ wish to see Cruise as a superhero could have been possible in 2008 when Cruise was in talks with Marvel studios for the role of Iron Man. But sadly, he didn’t feel at that time that things would go well if he took the role and thus decided to pass and the role eventually went to Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Kick Started The Blockbuster MCU With His 2008 Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. is widely known for his iconic portrayal of Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). When he first took on the role in 2008’s Iron Man, anyone could have hardly predicted the enormous impact the character would have on the superhero genre and the entire MCU. From the very first moment RDJ appeared on screen, he brought a unique blend of humor, wit, and emotional depth to the character of Tony Stark. He was able to capture the essence of the character’s arrogance and charm, while also conveying the vulnerability and pain beneath the surface. RDJ’s performance was much appreciated by fans.
Tom Cruise On Passing The Iconic Iron Man Role
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is undoubtedly one of the most successful franchises in film history. However, it almost didn’t come to fruition as we know it today. Back in 2008, Tom Cruise was in talks with the studio to play Tony Stark aka Iron Man, and he was even interested in the film. But things didn’t work out, and Robert Downey Jr. ultimately got the role. Tom Cruise revealed that he didn’t feel like it was going to work out if he chose to play Iron Man, adding that he tries his best to make his project special but the film was not what he wanted.
“It’s not happening. Not with me, no … They came to me at a certain point and, when I do something, I wanna do it right. If I commit to something, it has to be done in a way that I know it’s gonna be something special. And as it was lining up, it just didn’t feel to me like it was gonna work. I need to be able to make decisions and make the film as great as it can be, and it just didn’t go down that road that way.”
Looking back, it’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. RDJ’s iconic delivery as Iron Man didn’t just make the 2008 film, Iron Man, a hit, but also paved the way for today’s well-known MCU. Tom Cruise did surely pass up a big role and opportunity.
Iron Man (2008) is available to stream on Disney+.
Source: Screen Rant
