Robert Downey Jr. Says Iron Man Was Considered "Second-Tier" In The Early Days

Robert Downey Jr. has discussed starring in the first MCU movie, 2008's Iron Man, saying he did not have any pause about taking on the role despite his belief that Iron-Man was a "second-tier" character. Downey Jr. wasn't known for big blockbusters at that point, but he jumped at the chance to work with director Jon Favreau, he said in an appearance on The Hollywood Reporters' Actors Roundtable.

"I remember seeing Swingers, and that monologue he has, and I was like, 'And he wrote this? Who is this guy?' Also, he went to Bronx Science, and he was doing the Improv in Chicago, and we're both from Queens? We were meant to do this thing," Downey Jr. said.

Marvel movies these days are popular, but that wasn't always the case. Downey Jr. said there was "no certainty" that Iron Man would be a success in part because he believed Iron Man as a character was a "second-tier" hero.

"They [Marvel] let the lunatics run the asylum for a little while, so it was completely an indie approach to a genre movie to begin with," Downey Jr. said of the making of Iron Man.

Downey Jr. was not always a lock to be cast as Tony Stark. Favreau and Marvel boss Kevin Feige had to lobby management to approve the casting of Downey Jr. due in part due his previous legal issues involving drugs and guns.

Downey Jr.'s Marvel co-star Mark Ruffalo was on the panel, too, and it came to light that Downey Jr. may be responsible for Ruffalo signing on to play the Hulk. Downey Jr. and Ruffalo acted together in 2007's Zodiac, and Downey Jr. said he "convinced" Ruffalo to play the Hulk.

"I wouldn't be here today without you," Ruffalo said to Downey Jr.

It was recently reported that Marvel might be considering getting the original Avengers team back together for another movie. However, that might not actually happen.