Marvel Fans Shocked As Downey Opts Out Of Tony Stark Return, Setting The Stage For His Next Iconic Role
In a surprising turn of events, Robert Downey Jr. declined an offer to reprise his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man for a cameo in the recent blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine.” The film, co-written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, saw Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool take center stage once again, but without the anticipated appearance of one of Marvel’s most beloved characters. According to an interview with IndieWire, the writers had penned a scene that included both Downey’s Tony Stark and Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan. However, Downey passed on the opportunity, a decision that now makes sense in light of his upcoming role as Doctor Doom in future Marvel projects.
The scene in question was intended to occur early in the movie, where Deadpool uses Cable’s time machine to visit The Sacred Timeline. Here, he attempts to pitch himself as a potential member of the Avengers. The scene involved a meeting with Happy Hogan, who would ultimately reject Deadpool for being too self-centered and not a team player. Originally, the writers had hoped to include Tony Stark in this moment, creating a dynamic interaction between Reynolds’ Deadpool, Favreau’s Happy, and Downey’s Stark.
The concept of having Stark and Deadpool in the same room was exciting for fans and the creative team alike. Ryan Reynolds, who was instrumental in crafting the scene, aimed to leverage the chemistry between Downey and Favreau, hoping to recreate the magic that made the Iron Man films so successful. Despite Reynolds’ best efforts to persuade Downey, the actor declined, leaving the writers to rethink the scene.
Unbeknownst to the “Deadpool & Wolverine” team, Downey was already in talks for a much larger role within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – that of the iconic villain Doctor Doom. With his return to Marvel set for 2026’s “Avengers: Doomsday” and 2027’s “Avengers: Secret Wars,” Downey’s decision to pass on the Deadpool cameo was likely influenced by this significant shift in his MCU character.
Rhett Reese expressed understanding regarding Downey’s decision, noting that it wouldn’t have made sense for him to appear as Tony Stark, given his upcoming role as Doctor Doom. “We had wanted him to do a cameo. We had written that scene [to start] with Happy and Downey,” Wernick explained, but the timing and character transition rendered the idea unfeasible.
Interestingly, the writers also toyed with the idea of bringing back all the original Avengers for a scene where Deadpool would interview with the entire team. This unfilmed concept would have seen Deadpool rejected by the likes of Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Thor, and Captain America, leading to a comical dressing-down of each hero by Deadpool. Reese recalls, “He was going to get mad and basically attack each one of them in a vicious kind of way,” a scenario that would have undoubtedly delighted fans with its signature Deadpool irreverence.
Another humorous idea that was never fully realized involved Deadpool’s friend Peter, who was to accompany him to the Avengers meeting. The writers imagined a scene where Peter casually picks up Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, while Deadpool struggles to do so, playing on the running gag of who is worthy to lift the hammer.
Ultimately, only Downey reached the point of reading the scripted scene. Despite his decision to turn it down, fans can still look forward to his return to the MCU, albeit in a vastly different role as Doctor Doom. The anticipation for his portrayal of the iconic villain is building, especially with the Russo Brothers set to direct both of his upcoming films.
For those curious about the full creative process behind “Deadpool & Wolverine” and the unmade scenes, the complete interview with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick is available on IndieWire. Meanwhile, “Deadpool & Wolverine” continues to break records in theaters nationwide.
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Source: Variety
Photo Credit: Marvel Everett Collection
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