Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone. Kate Winslet as Rose Dawson. Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale. Sometimes an actor or actress embodies a role so perfectly — Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool — it's almost impossible to imagine anyone else in the part. In a bold proclamation equipped with a hefty bit of back-patting, Marvel Cinematic Universe architect Kevin Feige has voiced the opinion that Robert Downey Jr’s iconic casting as everyone's favorite metal-headed superhero Iron Man ranks up there with some of the greatest Hollywood decisions of all time.
To commemorate the 15th anniversary of the iconic first film in the MCU, Iron Man, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige engaged in a candid conversation (posted to Marvel’s official website) with the film's director Jon Favreau. The two reminisced about the early days of the franchise they helped spearhead, and talked up one decision that would forever change Hollywood: the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as the charismatic Tony Stark. It's no secret that the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang star was not Marvel's first choice for the role, but according to the mega-producer, without Downey, there probably wouldn't be a Marvel Studios. Recalling the profound impact the actor had on the studio, Feige said:
