The Marvel Cinematic Universe launched with the first Iron Man film and the success of this debut installment is widely credited with paving the way for the rest of the MCU. James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy and the latest Suicide Squad film, has now fired back at claims that Iron Man could have been played by anyone.
The claim comes from an evaluation in The Sunday Times about the fate of the leading man in Hollywood. The article examined Matt Damon's concerns that a film's leading man is no longer a selling point to usher audiences into theaters. It insists that in a time where franchise films like those from the MCU are on the rise, leading men like Robert Downey Jr. are overshadowed by the characters they play.
For over a decade, Downey Jr. has been celebrated for his performance as Tony Stark in the MCU. Since his debut in 2008, Marvel fans have considered him to be the only man for the job. The claim that Tony Stark could have been played by nearly anyone with wit angered many fans and gained the attention of Gunn, who discredited the allegation. Gunn revealed that he'd seen the screen tests for the role of Tony Stark and said the idea that anyone but Downey Jr. could've played the role was outlandish. Agreeing with Gunn, many MCU fans jumped to support Gunn's response. One fan went as far as to say that the writer who reported the claim should be fired. Gunn reasoned that there was "no need to be extreme." As far as Gunn is concerned, the writer "has a different opinion and that's all right."
With the MCU's popularity and the weight the films and characters hold for fans around the world, many of them took the attack on Iron Man as an attack on themselves. Every actor is accustomed to receiving criticism, no matter how long they've been in the business. RDJ brings what no one else would've been able to bring to the role of Iron Man because he is RDJ. Should anyone else ever play the role again, they will bring something that only they are capable of bringing to the role.
Just look at the various Jokers that have occurred over the years. They are always ranked in terms of who people consider having played the role the best. Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jared Leto all have different qualities they bring to the character, making each performance unique to the actor themselves.
While it's possible that the level of sarcasm Tony Stark possesses could be delivered by someone who possesses a natural wit, the swagger RDJ has brought to the character is something only he is capable of. Without anyone else playing the role of Iron Man, it's hard to know how another performance would have measured up. No matter what, RDJ will always be known and celebrated for his unique performance as Tony Stark.
Iron Man is now available on Disney Plus.
Source: James Gunn