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Iron Man To Be Re-Cast? Here’s What Jon Favreau Says

By Gregory Wakeman
Published on: 08:13 PST, Apr 22, 2016

Since 2008, Marvel Studios has released 12 films that grossed a combined total of $9.09 billion. While there’s no denying that the future still looks rosy for the studio, there was one casting decision that set the studio on their way to success. This came when Jon Favreau insisted that Robert Downey Jr. would be the perfect man to play Tony Stark/Iron Man.

But, with 2008’s Iron Man having spawned two sequels and Robert Downey Jr. having reprised his character in 2012’s The Avengers, 2015’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, it feels as though we’re now getting closer and closer to the end of Robert Downey Jr.’s tenure as the superhero.

A decision regarding Robert Downey Jr.’s future will have to be made by Marvel Studios soon. Obviously, it’s an impossible conundrum. Do they want to recast Robert Downey Jr.? Maybe they could retire the character completely? Perhaps they could even kill him off?

Jon Favreau, who directed Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Iron Man and Iron Man 2, has now joined in the debate after being asked by IGN whether or not he thinks the studio could ever make an Iron Man film with him the actor.

Jon Favreau insisted that while he couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role, he also admitted that he wouldn’t rule it out.

“I can’t imagine how they could but that doesn’t mean that they can’t,” Jon Favreau explained. “I just can’t wrap my head around that one. To me he’s the one element that has unified all of it, and I think kept a consistent tone, and the integrity of his acting ability and his talent really works wonderfully synergistically with the Marvel universe.”

Jon Favreau wasn’t done heaping praise on Robert Downey Jr.’s performances as the beloved billionaire inventor/entrepreneur, as he added, “I think that his personality is something which helps define it. That being said, nothing would surprise me, but for me it would be a hard pill to swallow and big shoes to fill.”

But while Jon Favreau revealed his own thoughts on Robert Downey Jr.’s potential recasting, there’s every chance that the filmmaker will have a say in the decision, too.

That’s because the Swingers and Cowboys & Alien director recently admitted that he is working as an executive producer on both instalments of Avengers: Infinity War, which are due out in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Speaking to Digital Spy while promoting his recent work on The Jungle Book, which has become a box office smash, Jon Favreau admitted, “I’m going to be executive producing the Avengers films with the Russo brothers, which I’m very excited about. I talk to them about it all the time. I’ve worked both in front of and behind the camera with Marvel and I really love what they’re doing right now. It’s a really exciting time to be over there. I’ve seen a rough cut of Civil War and it’s fantastic. We’re constantly looking for things to do together. And now I’m freed up.”

Robert Downey Jr.’s future within the Marvel Cinematic Universe is confirmed for the time being, though, as it was revealed just yesterday that Iron Man will be appearing in the latest new Spider-Man film, which is titled Spider-Man: Homecoming.

That’s due out next year, but you’ll finally be able to watch Captain America: Civil War in just a few days time, as it will be released on May 6.

[Image via Marvel Studios]

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