Robert Downey Jr. Might Play The Lead In Steven Spielberg’s ‘Harvey’?

OK, we know Steven Spielberg is tackling a remake of Henry Koster’s 1950 film, “Harvey” starring Jimmy Stewart as a mild-mannered, affable man (every Stewart role), who just happens to have an invisible friend resembling a 6-foot rabbit.

As you’ve just read, it’s definitely on the slate to be Spielberg’s next directing project (“Lincoln” is coming but it’ll have to wait).

Tom Hanks and Will Smith were once rumored to be the obvious choices for the lead, and then Hanks apparently bowed out.

Now a throwaway line in the Variety article about “Lincoln” says the populist director wants Robert Downey Jr. to play the pleasant, everyday man. Or at least he’s being eyed or is in early talks.

The Variety line reads, “Spielberg is presently focusing on his ‘reimagining’ of “Harvey,” with Robert Downey Jr. possibly playing the man who sees an invisible rabbit.”

Hmm, Robert Downey Jr. as an everyday pleeb? He did arguably already play a sort of modern version of this role — the everyday man, with contemporary cynicism — in, “The Soloist,” but this would ostensibly be quite different. Is Downey too wild and scene-chewing-happy to be reigned in as congenial nice guy? Or will the “reimagining” let RDJ cut loose? Is Robert Downey Jr. slowly becoming the new Tom Hanks? Discuss.