15 years after the release of Marvel Studios’ Iron Man, it’s even harder to believe that hiring Robert Downey Jr. to play Tony Stark was something so hotly contested. What was seen as a gamble paid off, as Downey and director/co-star Jon Favreau turned out a box office giant that set the tone for the movie industry at large. That tipping point is something that the MCU’s first marketable lead recently reflected on, plucking out the moment the movie’s success was readily apparent, as well as how it changed everything.
