It's no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine at this point, consistently putting out new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. But OG fans who have watched the Marvel movies in order will remember that back when Iron Man was released back in 2008, it a risky new experiment in filmmaking. I thought that Robert Downey Jr. had to fight for his role as Tony Stark due to his troubled past, but director Jon Favreau painted another picture.
Moviegoers are always looking forward to upcoming Marvel movies, but there's often more information coming out about the past as well. Case in point: Favreau's recent Vanity Fair video breaking down his career, including the original Iron Man movie. He spoke about fighting for RDJ's casting, offering:
The big thing was Robert. It was hiring Robert Downey Jr. It wasn't the type of film where, you know, they felt that the hero, the mask was gonna be the star. So it wasn't the type of movie where you're paying for a high-dollar movie star to front it 'cause now they were gonna self-finance, and Robert was on the comeback.
I always thought that the resistance to Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark was related to his past with addiction. But that seemingly wasn't the case; instead it was about the studio not wanting to pay an A-lister who they thought would be hidden under a mask for most of the movie. Of course, we know how much the Oscar-winning actor's charisma and charm defined the character for years.
In the same video, Jon Favreau spoke more about the resistance to RDJ's casting as Iron Man. He already in the midst of his career comeback at the time, including roles in projects like Charlie Bartlett, Zodiac, and The Shaggy Dog. The director went on to share:
Of course, it was difficult to hire him. At first, there was pushback. They questioned his age for the role too to be honest with you, which is so funny now thinking about it, how many years ago it was. But Tony Stark was a character that should be older than Spider-Man. He was in a different position in his life. There was a lot of push and pull on that piece of casting. I know I met with Robert and I saw in his eyes. He was like, this is, he just made a very compelling case. I just saw it.
Yeah, my mind is blown. Robert Downey Jr. was 43 when he debuted as Tony Stark in Iron Man, and it sounds like some folks thought he was a little long in the tooth. That's wild considering how long he played the role, and the fact that RDJ is returning as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday at age 61.
In the end the Sherlock Holmes actor fought for his signature role, including coming in to do a camera test. As Jon Favreau put it:
He agreed to go and do a test, which I think you could even see. And he just made it undeniable. As a director, you're trying to get a take on something. And you know, it's sort of all, a little bit murky. And then the idea of Robert being Tony Stark, all of a sudden the fog cleared in my head.
Indeed, Robert Downey Jr.'s audition tape is available to watch online. Despite not actually landing the role yet he had the signature wit and swagger that Tony Stark became known for. And it's clear that the studio ultimately made the right decision in casting their first MCU hero; it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the role at this point.
The Iron Man franchise is streaming now on Disney+, and RDJ will return to the MCU when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Although this time he'll be playing a new role as the villainous Doctor Doom.
