'I Saw How Difficult They Were': Robert Downey Jr. Credits Tobey Maguire for His Superhero Career
Robert Downey Jr. thanks Tobey Maguire for providing an insight into what it feels like to play a superhero.
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the oldest names associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the multi-billion dollar superhero franchise. The 59-year-old actor has been the face behind Iron Man for over a decade. After Tony Stark’s demise in 2019 released Avengers: Endgame, Robert Downey Jr. is back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom for the upcoming Marvel projects Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday.
The San Diego Comic-Con took Marvel fans by surprise after Robert Downey Jr. removed his mask and re-introduced himself as Doctor Doom. However, the Spider-Man: Homecoming actor believes that if there is someone who should be credited for his successful superhero career in Hollywood, then it's none other than the face behind the first web crawler superhero, Tobey Maguire. Robert Downey Jr. and Tobey Maguire had collaborated for Wonder Boys back in 2000.
During a recent appearance on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Robert Downey Jr. mentioned Tobey Maguire and how he went to provide him an insight into what it feels like being in a superhero project. The Academy Award-winning actor said-
"In real-time, I saw how difficult they were, how rewarding they could be, and how popular [comic book films] were becoming. I had been clean long enough...hungry even longer and I could feel [the] obsession coming back with manifesting the best version of myself.”
He further added-“I had strangely been furiously strength training six times a week before I even knew [this role] was coming, and my shrink had told me, 'Just start acting like something great is gonna happen and get ready for it.”
In the same interview, the Oppenheimer star even spoke about how his dual Marvel return came into play, sharing that both Disney CEO Bob Iger and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige had the idea of recasting him as the iconic villain in the process.
About a year ago, Downey mentioned that he and Feige had stayed in touch. They're good friends, along with Jon Favreau. The Avengers star also mentioned being close with the Russo brothers, as they have other projects in the works. This group of collaborators led Downey to consider approaching Bob Iger with an idea unrelated to the cinematic universe, focusing on contributing to the parks and location-based initiatives.
During a conversation with Kevin Feige, Robert Downey Jr.’s wife, Susan, was present when Feige suggested the possibility of Downey returning. Susan questioned, "Returning as what?" Marvel's president emphasized the importance of doing justice to Doctor Doom's character, and Downey felt compelled to discuss the matter further with Bob Iger, saying, "Can I go talk to Bob Iger?" Feige responded, "About what?" to which Downey replied, "About everything."
The title of the upcoming Avengers film, Avengers: Doomsday, clearly hints at Doctor Doom's significant role. However, the question remains: how will he make his entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and evolve into the formidable villain that brings chaos in Doomsday.
Recent rumors suggest that Doctor Doom will debut in the post-credits scene of the Fantastic Four movie, where he will reportedly eliminate the entire Council of Kangs. This action would signal the end of Jonathan Majors' character as the primary antagonist, setting the stage for Doom to emerge as the next major villain in the MCU.