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April 24, 2024, 11:53:16 AM

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Robert Downey Jr. -- I am "Iron Man"

By Borys Kit and Sheigh Crabtree
Fri Sep 29, 2:16 AM ET

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) -
Robert Downey, Jr. is suiting up to star in "Iron Man," a superhero movie based on the Marvel Comics character.

Jon Favreau is directing the Paramount Pictures release. Filming is slated to begin in February in Los Angeles.

Downey will portray Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Using his intelligence and ingenuity, Stark instead builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. Upon his return to the U.S., he uncovers a plot with global implications and must don his armor and protect the world.

The comic debuted in the 1960s, and Iron Man's origin involved Stark being a prisoner of the Viet Cong. The movie version will be set in today's geopolitical climate.

Budgeted at more than $100 million, it marks the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment, which previously licensed its characters, such as "Spider-Man" and "X-Men," to other studios.

Marvel president of production Kevin Feige said the filmmakers looked for the best actor to embody the character.

"The Marvel characters are not just about how high they jump or how fast they fly, they're about their character flaws," Feige said. "They're about their inner demons. They're about the struggles that they go through between being a man and being a hero."

Downey, who has battled his fair share of inner demons, worked hard to get the role, getting in shape and even growing a goatee like the one Stark sports in the comic books.

"In every casting announcement we've done, people in their mind's eye have their own view of it and let us know about it. We're used to it," Feige said. "The point is, we looked at everybody, and we found the best person for the role. It's as confident a casting move as we've ever done. The proof will be in the pudding, but he is Tony Stark."

Downey returns to theaters on November 10 in the Diane Arbus bipic "Fur" opposite
Nicole Kidman.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

That's awesome.

Robert Downey Jr. is one of my favorite actors, and I couldn't be happier about this. This is like Rodiguez getting Rourke to play Marv (and like Rourke, I never would have thought RDJ would get a chance like this).

I can't wait for this film now.

Hm. I really like Downey, he's a great actor, but I wouldn't have figured him for this role.

Though I guess a charming and intelligent guy with a serious substance problem is a reasonable choice to play Tony Stark.

While Downey is a good actor, he is totally wrong for the part. He's not even in the ballpark. His casting is about like tossing Michael Keaton into the Batman role. He'll do well, but he won't fit.

Know who should've been Iron Man?

Tony Robbins.

Here's a picture where he isn't eating somebody:

I mean, did you see him in Shallow Hal? What an actor.

Sorry, never seen him before. He does look like Stark tho.

He's a motivational speaker.

And he's like 9 feet tall.

But he looks like Stark, which was my point.

I always thought he looked like Jaws from the James Bond movies.

Anyone seen this movie? It's got RDJ and Val Kilmer, and it's god damned hilarious, yet I've never even heard of it until catching it on video fairly recently.

"Look up idiot in the dictionary. You know what you'll find?"
"A picture of me?"
"No! The definition of idiot. Which you fucking are!"

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was a great movie. I just saw it recently. But I think Val Kilmer would be a better Tony Stark than Downey. He's better looking and fits the physical mold and mannerisms better.

Yeah, I've seen it. Funny movie.

Kilmer would have been another great choice, I'll agree on that Haem. But I'm almost positive that RDJ will amaze us. He plays a lot of comic roles, but he can do anything.