Robert Downey Jr. Wanted to Do a Blockbuster Franchise After Seeing ‘The Matrix’
Robert Downey Jr. has become the face of an entire superhero brand with his Iron Man run. But way before he even knew he’d be a part of The Avengers, the actor was intrigued by starring in a franchise.
There were several blockbuster films Downey watched that fueled his desire for his own series of hit movies. One of those films was Keanu Reeves’ The Matrix.
Jon Favreau was the only person who believed Robert Downey Jr. could ‘carry my movie’
As many know, Downey was once at the center of a lot of controversies and scandals. With all the bad publicity that surrounded the actor, it began to leave a mark on his career. So when Iron Man director Jon Favreau suggested Downey for Tony Stark, he was met with resistance. But Favreau was determined to see Downey in the Iron Man suit.
“It was my job as a director to show that it was the best choice creatively…and now the Marvel Universe is the biggest franchise in film history,” Favreau once told radio station 100.3 Jack FM (via Collider).
Favreau also felt that Downey’s career mirrored Tony’s journey towards becoming Iron Man, adding another layer to the casting. Favreau’s instincts paid off, as Iron Man went on to become one of the most successful films in 2008. It was also instrumental in growing the Marvel Cinematic Universe into what it is today.
Speaking to GQ, Favreau felt like he “pulled a thorn out of a lion’s foot” by casting Downey in the lead role.
“Here was this force of nature who I think was living with this frustration that he wasn’t able to really show what he was great at, because nobody was willing to take that leap and say, ‘This guy could carry my movie.’ Nobody was willing to jump in the pool. I was,” he said.
How films like ‘The Matrix’ made Robert Downey Jr. want to star in his own superhero franchise
The desire to helm his own blockbuster mega-franchise was placed in his head years before 2008’s Iron Man. It was helped by stars like Keanu Reeves when Downey saw how the actor benefitted from his time in The Matrix.
“When Tobey Maguire and I were doing Wonder Boys, we went to see The Matrix, and that was a big deal,” he said. “I’ve known Keanu for ages. I watched the whole thing happen for him.”
It wasn’t only seeing Reeves’ Matrix fame that endeared Downey towards the idea. He was seeing his friends like Maguire and Johnny Depp reach new heights in their careers. as well
“Then I saw Tobey with his whole SpiderMan thing. And then I saw, in a different way, what Johnny did with the whole Pirates thing,” Downey added. “You get to firmly embed yourself in the unconscious of the planet in a way that’s so clearly not important that you don’t have to take it all that seriously. I just thought it would be really fun not just to get to do this—or maybe a couple of these—but also to get to be endorsed by Burger King and Hasbro and Slurpee cups.”
How Robert Downey Jr. felt about his newfound megastardom
Downey would eventually succeed in helming his own franchise with the Iron Man and Avengers movies. Starring in the Marvel films paid off big time, as Downey has been reported to have made hundreds of millions from the films alone. Back when he was filming Iron Man 3, Digital Spy asked Downey how it felt to finally attain this level of star power. The Tropic Thunder actor had very few complaints.
“I think, for the most part, I really enjoy it,” Downey said. “For the most part, everyone I talk to is really cool and nice, and not subversive or trying to do something kind of crappy. My faith in humanity and my faith in creativity prevails.”
