The introduction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe happened in the 2008 film Iron Man, where Robert Downey Jr's interpretation of the title character (and his adjusted sense of self, Tony Stark) was critical to the task's prosperity. Nonetheless, as indicated by another book, there was plausible that Iron Man probably wouldn't have even been Downey Jr's. First Marvel film.
Downey Jr. was considered for an entire other heavily clad Marvel character. The entertainer might have played the disgusting Doctor Doom in 2005's Fantastic Four, which was created by Twentieth Century Fox a couple of years before Marvel Studios even existed.
The story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe accounts how the monstrous blockbuster world happened as expected. Remarking on the introduction of the MCU, Iron Man chief Jon Favreau noted, "Wonder had as of now met with [Robert Downey Jr.] previously, I think, to play Doctor Doom."
In 2005 Downey Jr. was simply hitting the tipping point in his rebound after a long history of ongoing drug habits. The entertainer's standing sank after a progression of captures in 2000 and 2001, the last prompting him to get terminated from his job on Ally McBeal's TV series. He later reviewed to Oprah Winfrey, "When somebody says, 'I truly keep thinking about whether perhaps I ought to seek help?' Well, uh, you're a disaster area, you just lost your employment, and your significant other left you. Uh, you should try it out. I said, 'Guess what? I don't figure I can keep doing this.' And I connected for help, and I went for it. You can connect for help in sort of a good for nothing way, and you'll get it, and you will not exploit it. It isn't so hard to defeat these frightful issues ... what's hard is to choose to do it."
Nonetheless, even after recovery, it was hard for him to look for some kind of employment. It took Downey Jr's. companion Mel Gibson paying his protection bond for the 2003 film The Singing Detective to truly launch his profession indeed. Maker Joel Silver then, at that point, cast Gibson in the 2003 film Gothika, where Silver retained 40% of Downey Jr's. Compensation until the film was finished, as protection against him perhaps wrecking the creation. Downey Jr. began dating Silver's partner, Susan Levin, during design and the two in the end wedded.
Despite Downey Jr's. Effective re-visitation of Hollywood, the job, at last, went to Julian McMahon, who filled the role in both Fantastic Four and its 2007 continuation, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Amusingly, Chris Evans, who played the Human Torch in both Fantastic Four films, was then given a role as Captain America in the MCU. Considering that new development, it is conceivable that Downey Jr. would have still been Tony Stark regardless of whether he had played Doctor Doom.