Iron Man played an integral part in the inception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and most of us can agree that Robert Downey Jr. defined the character who was always portrayed as a B-list player in the comics prior to the MCU's creation.
Now, you're probably aware of the long-standing rumor about Tom Cruise being the original choice to play the role of the "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" in the first Iron Man film but apparently, there's no truth to it.
Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige gave a commencement address at the graduation ceremony for the University of Southern California on May 12 (via The Direct), where he revealed previously undisclosed details about the creation of the MCU.
Turns out, the studio's top choice to play Iron Man wasn't actually Cruise, but Clive Owen who starred in action movies like Sin City, The Bourne Identity, and Inside Man.
Unfortunately, Clive turned down the offer which ultimately led to RDJ landing the career-making role. Here's what Feige said:
"When we were casting the role of Iron Man, we looked at so many different actors. We had to find the perfect mix of heart and strength and charisma. Being our first Marvel film out of the gate, the stakes could not have been higher. The success of the film and the future of our entire studio rested on the shoulders of this one person."
Feige continued: "And it was not an easy task, but together with my team and our casting directors and our director, Jon Favreau, we culled down our list, we pinpointed the right guy, and we extended an offer to our top choice - an actor who checked all of those boxes and who we were confident would be a huge hit. And his name, of course, was Clive Owen. He passed. He was not interested."
Also Read: Robert Downey Jr. Reportedly Pushing for Iron Man Return in Spider-Man 4
As much as fans would have loved to see Owen in the billion-dollar franchise, I don't think he would've nailed RDJ's version of the character who later became the blueprint for how Tony Stark should be presented.
Meanwhile, Marvel Studios' latest offering, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is screening in theaters worldwide.
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