Marvel's Secret Plan to Cast Robert Downey Jr. as Another Iconic Hero Before Iron Man

[{"selector":"#anim-05803fae-a993-4518-af45-a7a74ac95c7c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98bec297-71cb-46ee-88a7-c46edfd3843e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43d7fa8b-c293-4b93-ad6b-8e5149bbe067","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Robert Downey Jr. was initially considered for a different role in Iron Man

[{"selector":"#anim-a18aabeb-b717-4cc8-9e16-22d5e5d61b68","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4128cfad-4594-49df-8649-0acf0c2795ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-87022d9e-7739-4d8c-987a-070896f6c431","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] He ultimately secured the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man

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[{"selector":"#anim-fc3360aa-21cc-4410-aabe-f595a73835e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d79d2038-78f1-4968-a24d-47a0cc081d14","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-737ee842-d748-416f-bd20-6b60b8386a5b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Downey's casting made the director's job easier as he understood the character

[{"selector":"#anim-f87f4920-9074-4ce0-b9df-891b7a5453d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85f41eab-804e-4e9b-9fe0-260ae6a4a08b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c77c814-5f99-44cf-9f44-baf86878e682","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Downey's portrayal brought authenticity and attracted other actors to the project

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[{"selector":"#anim-862d0277-c8af-4b95-925e-feb98ce67707","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2406ca0-15be-4ceb-ac5e-d047eaad5d60","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-51f75e82-d8be-49cd-9cb9-84c3c2eb1626","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Downey retired from the role after Avengers: Endgame

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[{"selector":"#anim-1a9063d7-06ba-445e-b0a1-1eb561d6e06b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-deaace1e-1ffb-4b29-bc00-f4134bfd0851","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1eb352d-6dae-4592-a287-6ed9140de849","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Downey produced and starred in a documentary about his relationship with his late father