The Marvel Cinematic Universe is, in large part, the powerhouse it is today thanks to the studio head’s efforts Kevin Feige and the countless people who work at Marvel Studios. Of course, an actor named Robert Downey Jr. also deserves some credit, as his first performance as Tony Stark in 2008 Iron Man helped propel the film to box office success. After all these years, it’s honestly hard to imagine anyone else playing the mustachioed hero except for Downey. Believe it or not, he wasn’t the studio’s “first choice” for Stark, as the other name they had in mind had passed. Feige recently recalled this when discussing split ends in life and more during a recent speech.
Kevin Feige returned to his alma mater, the University of Southern California, to address the class of 2023. Based on the video which was shared with Youtube, many graduates raved about the producer’s anecdotes about his experiences as a student and filmmaker. The speech was funny and engaging, but the icing on the cake was the Iron Man history. Before going into the main details of this behind-the-scenes story, he talked about a major ingredient that comes into play when navigating the ups and downs of life:
There’s a funny Tony Stark story I’d like to leave you with. I can say, “Embrace your flaws, be persistent, surround yourself with an incredible group of collaborators. But there will always be things that are out of your control. One of these elements is luck. You can have the best ideas, the best plans, the best intentions. But unless life aligns perfectly, they may never happen. And that’s not a bad thing, sometimes it can be a good thing.
Those are certainly wise words from the veteran filmmaker, and he would know that from first-hand experience. After being rejected five times from USC film school before being accepted and now overseeing the plethora of upcoming marvel movies, he knows a thing or two about luck. He went on to illustrate how plans can go wrong when reflecting on the casting of Armored Avenger:
When we chose the role of Iron Man, we looked at so many different actors. We had to find the perfect mix of heart, strength and charisma. Being our first Marvel movie out of the gate, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. The success of the film and the future of our entire studio hinges on this one person, and it was no easy task. But together with my team and our casting directors and our director, Jon Favreau, we put together our list, we identified the right guy and we offered an offer to our first choice – an actor who ticked all those boxes and who we we were confident would be a huge success. And his name, of course, was Clive Owen. He spent. He wasn’t interested.
Oscar nominee Clive Owen is certainly a gifted actor and could have been an interesting choice for Tony Stark. Entertainment fans probably know him best for his performances in Closer, close my eyes, city of sin and more. While the idea of him playing the character is intriguing, I don’t think he could have brought in Tony Stark the way Robert Downey Jr. did. While Downey had to practice for the role, his Iron Man audition alone seemed to indicate that he was the best candidate. And based on his speech, his longtime collaborator agrees with this sentiment:
And that’s the unspoken rule of luck – not getting your first pick might just be the biggest thing that can happen. Because you know what’s better than having your first choice, having the right choice. In our case, of course, it was Robert Downey Jr., and the first film we ever made as a studio ended up being one of the highest-rated and highest-grossing films of the year.
That “good choice” spawned a successful movie trilogy and arguably rejuvenated the career of Robert Downey Jr. And I think I speak for a number of people when I say we’re incredibly grateful to having had the actor in the role for over a decade. Since the release of Avengers: Endgame, many fans are wondering if the actor would ever reprise the role of Iron Man. Co-starring Mark Ruffalo is considering a comeback is possible at some point. Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but for now, let’s heed Kevin Feige’s advice not to dwell on your “first choice.”
Those who want to experience Robert Downey Jr.’s take on Tony Stark can stream past MCU movies using a Disney+ subscription.