Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is legendary, but he wasn’t the only actor considered for the role. The success of 2008’s Iron Man, which starred RDJ as the charismatic playboy Tony Stark, saw the birth of the biggest movie franchise in the history of cinema. The movies of the MCU went on to use RDJ’s Iron Man as the most important hero in its Infinity Saga, all leading up to his heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. RDJ’s performance has become one of the best-loved aspects of the entire MCU, but the role of Iron Man almost went to several other actors first.
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In truth, it’s hard to imagine any other actor playing Iron Man, simply because Downey Jr.’s performance felt like such a complete adaptation of the character. However, before he was cast, several other actors were heavily linked to the role, and they might have given us a very different take on the Marvel hero. Each of the following actors almost played Iron Man before Robert Downey Jr., though whether they’d have been better or worse is very much a matter of speculative opinion.
3) Timothy Olyphant
Timothy Olyphant is a widely celebrated actor who has featured in a number of incredibly distinct and memorable roles. After rising to prominence with his turn as Sheriff Seth Bullock, one of the best characters on HBO’s Deadwood, Olyphant went on to prove his acting chops in a number of varied roles. Reportedly, he was also one of Robert Downey Jr.’s closest competitors for the role of Tony Stark in 2008’s Iron Man.
Reports suggest that Timothy Olyphant was actually the initial favorite of Marvel executives and producers for the role, with the two actors screen testing on the very same day. The early hesitation about casting RDJ stemmed from the issues in his personal life at the time, though ultimately, Marvel chose him over Olyphant. Many fans believe Olyphant would have been a solid choice and could have delivered a likable, grounded Tony Stark, but ultimately, we’ll never know.
2) Tom Cruise
Whenever anyone talks about other actors taking on the role of Iron Man, Tom Cruise is the name that immediately gets mentioned. While it’s likely too late for him to take on the role (at least, as anything more than a cameo as a variant character in the MCU’s Multiverse), Cruise was once set to play Iron Man in a blockbuster movie. Throughout the ’90s and early ’00s, Cruise was attached to the role, remaining close to playing the character even as the rights moved to different studios.
Ultimately, Cruise exited the project before the rights came back to Marvel, and we never got to see him play Tony Stark. Many fans believe that Cruise is one of the few actors who could have properly captured Stark’s charisma, light-hearted arrogance, and screen presence as well as RDJ, though it now seems that we can never know for certain. However, long before Robert Downey Jr. entered the frame, Tom Cruise was positioning himself to play the now-iconic Marvel hero.
1) Sam Rockwell
While Sam Rockwell might not quite boast the dazzling star power of Tom Cruise, he’s one of the most celebrated and accomplished actors active in Hollywood. Before Robert Downey Jr. secured the role of Iron Man, Rockwell was actually considered for the part by Iron Man director Jon Favreau. Obviously, he missed out to RDJ, though he was later cast as Justin Hammer, a great villain who simply disappeared in the MCU.
When you consider some of the staggering variety in Rockwell’s previous roles, it’s hard to imagine exactly what his Iron Man may have looked like. He’s an actor who has more than proven his ability to play complex characters and still inject an edge of comedy even into serious roles, so he would undoubtedly have been a great fit for the crucial MCU character. As it stands, we got Rockwell as an underrated MCU villain, though the franchise seems to have thoroughly wasted his potential by using him in a frustratingly sparing manner.
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