There have been rumblings for years that Robert Downey Jr. was eyed for the role of Doctor Doom in 2005's Fantastic Four. The role ultimately went to Julian McMahon, with the actor playing a mostly non-comic accurate Victor in that movie and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
In a newly released video looking back at Iron Man to mark its 15th anniversary, filmmaker Jon Favreau and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed Downey was once being lined up to play the villain.
"I remember that Robert had come in for a general [meeting] on it and I remember you had all met with him already for Doctor Doom or something on another project," Favreau recalls, getting the nod from Feige. "Everybody sort of knew who he was and I remember sitting down with the guy and I was like, 'Jeez, [he's] just got that spark in him and his eye, and he's ready."
Something tells us playing Doom wouldn't have revived Downey's career in the same way playing Tony Stark did, so it's no doubt for the best Fantastic Four didn't work out for him.
That's evident from what Feige said later in the same conversation.
"[Casting Downey as Iron Man is] probably one of the greatest decisions in the history of Hollywood," he exclaims. "Everybody has good days and bad days and I remember in later movies...there were dark days and I would say, 'Robert, we wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you' [Laughs]. Meaning we wouldn't have a studio if it wasn't for him or [Jon Favreau]."
While Downey's time as Tony Stark has reached its end, speculation continues to run rampant about him playing a Variant of the now iconic character in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars.
Check out the full conversation with Feige and Favreau below.