Rumor has is that Robert Downey Jr will say goodbye to the character of Tony Stark after just two more movies, the first of which is next year’s Avengers Age of Ultron followed by a third Avengers film expected in 2017/2018.
Many cannot imagine anyone else taking over the iconic role. However, the President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige has suggested that the role will eventually get recast and this will be a continual process as seen in long standing characters such as James Bond and Doctor Who. But Kevin Feige has also expressed the possibility of introducing new avengers and phasing old ones out to give characters a definitive ending to avoid the need to recast.
Despite his immense popularity as Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr recently stated in an interview that as an actor playing a character, he played the character best in the first film'I feel that the first time I played Tony, I did it best. Sorry! The affinity with Tony now is: How do you sustain something? I'm not stupid, I liked to play ball, I love the company, I love the character, andthe business side of things, I'm not too picky about that either.' Sounds like he has peaked. But with two more appearances before his contract expires, could he have a change of heart?
It is unknown yet if a new contract will be signed enabling him to reprise the role in future films so here are six reasons why he should not be recast.
6. He Is Tony Stark
It can be difficult to see where Robert Downey Jr ends and Tony Stark begins as they have very similar personalities. Both display arrogance, hyperactivity and a smarmy charm. They have both come back from the brink of self destruction to be a better person and learnt from their mistakes in the past. These similarities have helped Robert Downey Jr create and build upon a believable character who many have come to love.
Equally it can be difficult to see where Tony Stark ends and Robert Downey Jr begins as frequently seen in interviews when promoting the Iron Man films. This was particularly evident during his appearance at the Iron Man 3 panel at Comic Con back in 2012 when he made quite an entrance as seen below.
Director Jon Favareu clearly saw the parallels between the character and the actor and was prepared to take a risk by ignoring the studios request to cast a younger actor and the success of this casting has validated his faith in Robert Downey Jr.
Although James Bond have had to recast their actors over the decades this has not always worked. Everyone has their favorite James Bond actor. For example many see Sean Connery as the real James Bond and it is only the recent recasting of Daniel Craig that brought James Bond back in vogue. Daniel Craig’s version of the character was a reboot to the franchise rather than acting as a mere sequel.
Fans are typically unhappy when their favorite character has a different face. Unless the Marvel Cinematic Universe is rebooted, then Robert Downey Jr needs to keep playing the character. There would be an uproar from fans if they recast the role as it interrupts continuity.
When Ed Norton did not reprise his role as the Hulk, faithful audiences were somewhat confused by the sudden appearance of Mark Ruffalo. However when the role of Rhodes was recast from Terrence Howard to Don Cheadle in Iron Man 2 audiences were more forgiving of the change in a supporting character. Nevertheless fans would be less forgiving in the case of Robert Downey Jr having already played the role seven times when his current contract ends.
Seriously, can you actually think of another actor who could take on this role? Sure, there are people who look similar to Tony Stark and have the acting skills to play the character, but could any other actor bring the same depth of character that Robert Downey Jr has achieved? It is unlikely as getting an actor who looks the part is not enough, an actor really needs to embody the character they are playing and this is something that Robert Downey Jr excels at.
That being said, another actor taking on the role may leave us surprised with how quickly we could move on. The role of Tony Stark/Iron Man is not exclusive to the actor but it would be tough for any actor to take on the iconic role and to deal with the inevitable comparisons to Robert Downey Jr.
All actors want to be remembered for their version of a character and not be compared with previous incarnations. Even if you look at Christian Bale’s esteemed interpretation of Batman, people will always refer to Michael Keaton or Adam West. Robert Downey Jr has laid claim to the character being the first actor to play the role on the big screen and could prove an indelible portrayal in our minds.
By the time Avengers 3 comes out, Robert Downey Jr will be in his early 50s which most studios would consider too old for a lead. Robert Downey Jr is still in his prime after resurrecting his career following a spell in prison and being deemed a risk by many studios but audiences are now heavily invested in him playing Tony Stark.
Robert Downey Jr is a similar age to Hugh Jackman and both have to follow strict diet and a hard regime of exercise for the roles of Iron Man and Wolverine. Clearly people underestimate older actors and their commitment to their craft. Actors such as Liam Neeson in Taken, Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables and Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones have continued doing physically demanding action roles with great credibility.
As other older actors have proven, Robert Downey Jr could still play the role into his 70s. Iron Man is not as physical a role when compared to Captain America or Black Widow. Robert Downey Jr would be not required to do intense physical scenes as fights are computer generated or completed by stuntmen. Being in shape is purely for aesthetic purposes rather than being physically strong enough to play the part so his age would prove irrelevant.
All actors age so the studio could incorporate an ageing Tony Stark into the story. Continuity dictates that all characters will grow older. The films have gaps between them so the character is a lot older in Iron Man 3 than he was in the first film. The ability to follow characters as they age can add a great deal of depth to a film and the continuing story.
Maybe Tony Stark’s alcoholism could be brought into the story as many fans expected this to be in Iron Man 3 but director Shane Black rejected the ‘Demon In A Bottle’ storyline. But this could be resurrected in the fourth Iron Man movie if goes ahead. An ageing alcoholic Tony Stark could be used as a major plot point to help the character develop and become darker than before.
Nick Fury could be on his way out of the Marvel franchise after Samuel L Jackson’s revelation that he has very little to do in the upcoming Avengers Age of Ultron. Therefore this leaves the role of leading Shield open. This could be filled be an ageing Tony Stark who has matured since we first saw him and would allow him to still appear albeit in a backseat role.
Although Robert Downey Jr has been working for decades, it was only his casting in Iron Man back in 2008 that made him the box office draw that he is today. He has reprised the role of Iron Man five times to date with another two in the pipeline as well as starring in two Sherlock Holmes movies as the main character.
Robert Downey Jr revealed to GQ magazine that he was given a 50 million dollar bonus for starring in The Avengers. This is an outrageous sum of money but clearly demonstrated the studio’s belief in his power to attract a mass audience.
Iron Man 3 went on to make around 1.2 billion dollars at the box office and so while Robert Downey Jr continues to attract a worldwide audience Marvel Studios will continue to pay him any sum of money he demands. It would not be in the studio’s interest to change the face of Tony Stark for the foreseeable future.
Marvel Studios have invested heavily in Robert Downey Jr and this has proven financially rewarding for both parties. If the upcoming contracted films make over a billion dollars each, Marvel Studios will make a lot of money and may prove reluctant to risk recasting the lead role of this highly successful franchise. If Robert Downey Jr continues to play the role of Tony Stark, it will keep millions of fans happy and himself wealthy.
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