Robert Downey Jr.’s efficiency as Iron Man within the Marvel Cinematic Universe is known, however he wasn’t the one actor thought-about for the function. The success of 2008’s Iron Man, which starred RDJ because the charismatic playboy Tony Stark, noticed the start of the largest film franchise within the historical past of cinema. The films of the MCU went on to make use of RDJ’s Iron Man as an important hero in its Infinity Saga, all main as much as his heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. RDJ’s efficiency has turn into one of many best-loved features of all the MCU, however the function of Iron Man nearly went to a number of different actors first.
In reality, it’s arduous to think about every other actor taking part in Iron Man, just because Downey Jr.’s efficiency felt like such an entire adaptation of the character. Nonetheless, earlier than he was forged, a number of different actors had been closely linked to the function, and so they may need given us a really totally different tackle the Marvel hero. Every of the next actors nearly performed Iron Man earlier than Robert Downey Jr., although whether or not they’d have been higher or worse may be very a lot a matter of speculative opinion.
3) Timothy Olyphant
Timothy Olyphant is a extensively celebrated actor who has featured in a lot of extremely distinct and memorable roles. After rising to prominence along with his flip as Sheriff Seth Bullock, probably the greatest characters on HBO’s Deadwood, Olyphant went on to show his performing chops in a lot of diversified roles. Reportedly, he was additionally one in every of Robert Downey Jr.’s closest opponents for the function of Tony Stark in 2008’s Iron Man.
Experiences recommend that Timothy Olyphant was really the preliminary favourite of Marvel executives and producers for the function, with the 2 actors display screen testing on the exact same day. The early hesitation about casting RDJ stemmed from the problems in his private life on the time, although in the end, Marvel selected him over Olyphant. Many followers consider Olyphant would have been a stable selection and will have delivered a likable, grounded Tony Stark, however in the end, we’ll by no means know.
2) Tom Cruise
Every time anybody talks about different actors taking over the function of Iron Man, Tom Cruise is the title that instantly will get talked about. Whereas it’s probably too late for him to tackle the function (no less than, as something greater than a cameo as a variant character within the MCU’s Multiverse), Cruise was as soon as set to play Iron Man in a blockbuster film. All through the ’90s and early ’00s, Cruise was connected to the function, remaining near taking part in the character even because the rights moved to totally different studios.
Finally, Cruise exited the venture earlier than the rights got here again to Marvel, and we by no means acquired to see him play Tony Stark. Many followers consider that Cruise is without doubt one of the few actors who may have correctly captured Stark’s charisma, light-hearted vanity, and display screen presence in addition to RDJ, although it now appears that we are able to by no means know for sure. Nonetheless, lengthy earlier than Robert Downey Jr. entered the body, Tom Cruise was positioning himself to play the now-iconic Marvel hero.
1) Sam Rockwell
Whereas Sam Rockwell may not fairly boast the dazzling star energy of Tom Cruise, he’s some of the celebrated and achieved actors energetic in Hollywood. Earlier than Robert Downey Jr. secured the function of Iron Man, Rockwell was really thought-about for the half by Iron Man director Jon Favreau. Clearly, he missed out to RDJ, although he was later forged as Justin Hammer, an incredible villain who merely disappeared within the MCU.
When you think about a number of the staggering selection in Rockwell’s earlier roles, it’s arduous to think about precisely what his Iron Man could have regarded like. He’s an actor who has greater than confirmed his capacity to play advanced characters and nonetheless inject an fringe of comedy even into severe roles, so he would undoubtedly have been an incredible match for the essential MCU character. Because it stands, we acquired Rockwell as an underrated MCU villain, although the franchise appears to have completely wasted his potential through the use of him in a frustratingly sparing method.