Robert Downey Jr., famously known for bringing Iron Man (2008) to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was nearly replaced by Tom Cruise really early in his career for a $31 million biopic.
Not just in the early ‘90s, but Downey Jr. could have lost his role — Tony Stark in the MCU as well since the studio approached Tom Cruise at one point. He beat Cruise to it twice and titled the films that changed his career.
1992’s Chaplin, directed by Richard Attenborough (Gandhi), had Robert Downey Jr. play the silent comedian. But, it could have turned in the opposite direction as the director wanted Tom Cruise to take on the role initially, Downey told David Letterman.
The film had serious troubles initially, according to the Los Angeles Times; the director couldn’t land a producer for the film. Universal Studios wanted to produce it but didn’t believe in Downey Jr.’s potential.
Universal Studios Backed Out Due To Robert Downey Jr.
Richard Attenborough, though had similar feelings as the studio heads once, spoke with the Los Angeles Times, and brought the facts into the spotlight. He also said that the budget was too much at the time and that the studios didn’t want to bank on someone who wasn’t particularly a Hollywood star then.
“Nobody ever said to me, ‘We don’t think Robert can do it.’ They [Universal] simply refused to sign his agreement,” Attenborough said.
Universal Studios, as he furthered his conversation, eyed a lesser budget to actually come to the discussion table.
Richard Attenborough Landed Chaplin At Carolco Pictures Inc.
Attenborough, turned down by Universal, kept on looking for a financier to park the money required to bring the film to silver screens. Carolco Pictures Inc., known for Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Total Recall (1990), Cliffhanger (1993), and 1980’s Rambo trilogy, swooped in.
Co-founded by Andrew G. Vajna and Mario Kassar, Carolco sped up Robert Downey Jr.’s Chaplin, and the film was released on December 18, 1992, with TriStar Pictures handling the distributions in the Americas.
It is up to the audience’s imagination to really picture Tom Cruise in the role; Robert Downey Jr. said to David Letterman during the Netflix special –
“He held up a picture of Tom Cruise to me and said, ‘Now isn’t that remarkable resemblance? Wouldn’t it be amazing if Tom Cruise played [Charlie Chaplin]?’”
Chaplin starred Geraldine Chaplin (daughter of Charlie Chaplin), Marisa Tomei, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Kline, and Milla Jovovich in supporting roles, and can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Los Angeles Times, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman
