Why Robert Downey Jr. Turned Down a Deadpool and Wolverine Cameo as Iron Man — Even After Ryan Reynolds ‘Gave Him the Hard Press’

Robert Downey Jr. surprised Ryan Reynolds and the writers of Deadpool & Wolverine by turning down a cameo role as Iron Man in the summer blockbuster.

However, his decision became clearer when it was recently announced that the 59-year-old Oscar winner would be taking on a new character in the Marvel universe.

Before he turned down the offer, screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick had planned to open Deadpool & Wolverine with a scene featuring Downey’s Iron Man/Tony Stark and Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan.

“We wanted him to come on. We had that scene written [to start] with Happy and Downey,’ Wernick said People.

Reese added that Reynolds, 47, “had read the scene with both of them, so we were hoping we could get Downey.”

Robert Downey, Jr.’s decision to turn down a cameo in Deadpool and Wolverine came as a surprise to Ryan Reynolds and the film’s screenwriters, until they discovered the reason behind the decision a day after the blockbuster hit theaters on July 26.

After it was announced at San Diego Comic-Con on July 27 that the former superhero would play Victor von Doom (aka Doctor Doom) in two Avengers films, the reason became clear.

“Ryan gave him the hard press. We were writing scenes and Downey was reading scenes, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was this Doctor Doom stuff,” Wernick said.

Ultimately, Favreau did the scene with Reynolds’ Wade Wilson at the beginning of the film, which was similar to what the writers originally envisioned.

“Jon was involved from the beginning, in a friendly way. It worked out great,” they said.

“I mean, look, we would have loved to have Downey. But at the same time, I think Marvel had a trump card up their sleeve, which is that he’s about to come back in a different character,” Rheese said.

“So, having him be Tony Stark? Knowing that Doctor Doom was coming right after? It just didn’t make sense.”

The actor will play the supervillain in the 5th and 6th Avengers films, titled Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Both films will be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the brothers who also directed 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, in which Downey’s Iron Man was killed to save the universe.

Reynolds expressed his gratitude to Favreau in an enthusiastic message on social media Thursday.

The actor announced that he would be playing the role of Victor von Doom in two upcoming Marvel films; Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, at Comic-Con in San Diego on July 27.

Reynolds gave Downey the “hard press,” according to screenwriters Rhett Rheese and Paul Wernick. “We wrote scenes and Downey read the scenes, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was this Doctor Doom stuff,” Wernick said.

Jon Favreau made a cameo appearance as Happy Hogan. “The film benefited from his incredible performance, but we got something more important: his generosity of time and energy to discuss the story and brainstorm larger themes and ideas,” Reynolds wrote on Instagram (pictured in London in April 2023)

“Jon is one of the greats. Yes, the film benefited from his incredible performance, but we got something more important: his generosity of time and energy to discuss the story and brainstorm larger themes and ideas.

According to Box Office Mojo, as of August 8, the action film has grossed over $440 million in the United States and another $484 million internationally. Worldwide, it has grossed nearly $1 billion.

If the current enthusiasm for the film continues, it could easily surpass the billion dollar mark by the end of the August 9-11 weekend.