Robert Downey Jr. is the definitive live-action version of Iron Man, there's no debate on that but things almost turned out differently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before it was even established. Some of you may not know about this interesting bit of trivia but RDJ was never Marvel Studios' first choice to play the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist in the successful franchise.
In fact, according to reports, Mission Impossible star Tom Cruise almost led the MCU but negotiations fell flat and the role would eventually be defined by Downey. Surely, Cruise as Tony Stark would have an incredible casting choice and some fans have been pondering how things would've turned out if he in fact portrayed the part.
Well, according to a new rumor, Cruise will finally be getting his shot at playing Iron Man in the MCU. Back in 2020, we reported that Marvel Studios is keen on casting him as Tony Stark in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which is said to feature multiple characters from past Marvel films that are "non-MCU".
An alleged plot leak even surfaced online claiming that Cruise will indeed show up briefly in the film as a variant of Iron Man. As of writing, the original source of the said leak has yet to be identified but it's been spreading like wildfire across the internet. You can check it out below but be forewarned of potential spoilers.
Also Read: Tom Cruise Reportedly Eyed to Play Iron Man in Doctor Strange 2
Of course, nothing has been confirmed yet so take everything with a huge grain of salt. But with all the mind-blowing stuff that has been happening in the MCU, including Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the idea of Cruise playing Stark's multiversal counterpart doesn't sound crazy anymore. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits cinemas on May 6, 2022.
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