While it will definitely (as Kevin Feige so eloquently puts it in the same discussion below) go down as one of the best decisions in Hollywood history, there has already been so much written about Robert Downey, Jr. being cast as Tony Stark in 2008’s “Iron Man.” However, in a new interview with Feige and filmmaker Jon Favreau, it’s revealed that RDJ could have shown up in a Marvel film years before his “Iron Man” debut.
Speaking in a new video celebrating the 15th anniversary of “Iron Man,” Jon Favreau and Kevin Feige discuss all that went into the making of the iconic film. And when it came to the talk about Downey, Jr. being cast in the lead, Favreau revealed that there was a moment when the actor was being discussed for a role in Tim Story’s “Fantastic Four,” playing one of the most recognizable villains in Marvel lore.
“I remember you had all met with [Downey] already for like Doctor Doom or something on another project,” Favreau said. “I think he had come through on maybe ‘Fantastic Four,’ so everybody sort of knew who he was.”
“Once it was him, that’s when my life got a lot easier,” Favreau added about RDJ’s casting in “Iron Man.” “Because he understood. He understood the voice of the character. And then one by one, people were just signing on board because now it became something interesting.”
Obviously, it would have altered the course of film history if Downey, Jr. starred in “Fantastic Four” and, thus, not in “Iron Man.” Would “Fantastic Four” have been better? Probably. But would “Iron Man” suffer from no RDJ? Almost certainly. Clearly, it was a great decision to pass on the actor for ‘FF’ and instead bring him in as Tony Stark.
You can watch the full discussion below: