There was his rumored involvement as Scarecrow in Joel Schumacher's scrapped third Batman film, his near-miss playing Norman Osborn in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002), and his legendary almost-performance as Superman in Tim Burton's Superman Lives.
Nicolas Cage is one of those rare Hollywood talents whose name seems to show up on just about every major franchise movie list in some form or another. It’s not hard, then, to believe the 6'2" Australian stepping into those iron boots. From playing the charismatic, obsessed showman in Christopher Nolan's The Prestige (2006), to his cagey and dynamic turn in 2013's Prisoners, Jackman displays a range few of his contemporaries can match. While Jackman was merely considered to play the part before RDJ, it's not hard to imagine why.Īlong with being one of the most physically committed actors of his generation, he is also one of the most talented. Having played Wolverine a record 11 times (counting photo cameos), Jackman has completely redefined the character for generations to come.
If there's anyone who knows how to take a role and make it his own, it's Hugh Jackman. His legendary stunt work alone makes him a shoe-in on paper, and the range of his acting chops across his 35 years in the business puts him right up there with RDJ in the talent department. That said, it's not hard to imagine the 56-year-old in the role, playing a man after his own heart. I can't imagine anyone else in that role and I think it's perfect for him." Speaking in a recent interview, during filming the sixth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Cruise clarified his involvement, stating, "Not close. Some interesting news resurfaced recently that pegged Hollywood icon Tom Cruise as one of the original front runner's for the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man. It sounds strange, then, to think that so many other actors were considered for a part seemingly made for Downey Jr.ĬBR has compiled a list of the top five actors who nearly stole the role, five who very well could once RDJ hangs up his iron duds, and five who should don the iron cowl (but probably won't, for a number of reasons). But Favreau saw something in Downey Jr's performance a punch-drunk mix of charisma, comic timing and gravitas that would ultimately win him the job. was by far not the studio's first choice to don the famous iron suit.Īlthough it seems like a no brainer in retrospect, the 43-year-old thespian was considered by many to be over the hill, especially for the freshman entry into a potentially multi-picture franchise. While the risk eventually paid off for the studio, Downey Jr. While RDJ was a huge risk for the studio's image, he was a natural fit for the role and tone of the film. Iron Man, Jon Favreau's first foray into genre filmmaking, made its silver screen debut to the tune of over half a billion dollars internationally, and would usher in a new era of flights and tights cinema with the introduction of the groundbreaking "cinematic universe." The film also signaled the rebirth of one of Hollywood's most formidable talents: Robert Downey Jr. On May 2, 2008, the world of superhero cinema changed forever.