Robert Downey Jr. was Almost Solid as Doctor Doom

Robert Downey Jr. as the person within the steel masks threatening the likes of Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis? According to Jon Favreau, the actor who noticed his profession skyrocket a number of years later with ‘Iron Man’, virtually ended up enjoying Doctor Doom in 2005’s ‘Fantastic Four’.

Of course, historical past ended up going a really totally different method: Julian McMahon ended up enjoying Victor Von Doom in Tim Story’s superhero movie and Robert Downey Jr. noticed his profession skyrocket to new heights enjoying Tony Stark within the first movie Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The revelation got here from ‘Iron Man’ director Jon Favreau, who sat down with Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige for a video wanting again on the making of the 2008 movie.

Says Favreau within the video (which you’ll be able to watch above),

“I bear in mind you had all met with him already for like Doctor Doom or one thing on one other undertaking. I believe he had come by way of on perhaps ‘Fantastic Four,’ so all people form of knew who he was.”

Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man 3’

Fantastic future?

It’s enjoyable to take a position on what might need occurred with Downey and the ‘Fantastic Four’ movies had he ended up within the position. Would he have made extra of an influence than McMahon (who admittedly got here again for the sequel)? Almost actually. Might it have turned these ‘Fantastic Four’ movies right into a massively profitable franchise and spared us all of the gloomy 2015 reboot? Less sure.

It’s unlikely that Downey Jr. would have loved the identical freedom and collaboration that he had with Favreau and the scrappier, still-an-independent firm Marvel. Back in 2005, ‘Fantastic Four’ was a tentpole for twentieth Century Fox and we doubt the riskier shooting model would have been embraced. In the identical video, Favreau opens up about each the re-writing strategy of the movie and the way RDJ’s casting unlocked ‘Iron Man’ for him and his group.

Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom / Doctor Doom in 2005’s ‘Fantastic Four.’

Related Article: ‘Fantastic Four’ Director Matt Shakman Expects 2024 Production Start

Here’s what he says,

“Once it was him, that’s when my life obtained rather a lot simpler, as a result of he understood. He understood the voice of the character. And then one after the other, individuals have been simply signing on board as a result of now it grew to become one thing attention-grabbing.”

Downey’s casting was a domino that then led to alternative so as to add Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Paul Bettany and extra, and the remainder, as they are saying, was historical past. The MCU was born and would go on to earn greater than $29.5 billion on the box office alone.

Had another person ended up as Tony Stark (traditionally, Tom Cruise was circling the position years earlier than Marvel’s model), who is aware of whether or not the movie would have taken off to the identical diploma. So maybe we live in the perfect timeline relating to that historical past.

Marvel, in fact, is producing its personal tackle the ‘Fantastic Four,’ with ‘WandaVision’s Matt Shakman directing and casting rumors flying thick and quick –– at present Margot Robbie, Adam Driver and Paul Mescal are these being talked about, however nothing has been formally confirmed. With Comic-Con subsequent month, we’re anticipating to study extra.

Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom / Doctor Doom in 2005’s ‘Fantastic Four.’

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