Batman Begins
Summary
Robert Downey Jr. has revealed that he essay out for a part inBatman Begins , but his cast in the 2005 moving-picture show might have had a prejudicial encroachment on the future MCU andDC Universesuperhero dealership . Robert Downey Jr. debuted as Tony Stark , a.k.a . Iron Man , back in the first undertaking in Marvel Studios ' MCU , 2008’sIron Man . Tony Stark went on to become a key figure in the MCU , becoming a founding extremity of the Avengers , and eventually saving the universe by sacrifice his own lifespan . However , affair almost become very other than in Robert Downey Jr. ’s superhero calling .
As Marvel Studios ' Tony Stark , Robert Downey Jr. define himself up for the perfect replication narration in Hollywood , following several years of controversy surround the actor . It ’s potential that this repurchase was n’t specifically thanks toTony Stark ’s Iron Man , but the submarine sandwich ’s likability , charisma and sarcastic wit commit Downey Jr. the opportunity to really show his full range , which is perhaps something that he would n’t have been capable to accomplish in a unlike superhero enfranchisement . Interestingly , however , Downey Jr. has recently revealed that he was almost cast in a role that would have made his dangerous undertaking as Iron Man inconceivable .
Iron Man ’s journey in the MCU has been one of the franchise ’s most defining factor , and thespian Robert Downey Jr. had some prophetical Good Book for it .
Robert Downey Jr Was Almost Cast In Batman Begins
In a clip shared byGriffin Schillerfrom the @am_cinematheque conversation on February 4 , 2024 , Robert Downey Jr. let out that Tony Stark was n’t the first superhero laughable character he had intended to portray . Instead , Downey Jr. disclose that he met with acclaimed film director Christopher Nolan for the role ofDr . Jonathan Crane , a.k.a . Scarecrow , in 2005’sBatman Menachem Begin , the first episode of Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy . Downey Jr. was baffle to the role by Cillian Murphy , hisOppenheimerco - star and fellow Academy Award nominee , which ultimately was the best choice for the character , and for Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. has revealed that he lost a major role in Christopher Nolan ’s The Dark Knight trilogy before becoming Iron Man for Marvel Studios .
RDJ Was Never Right For Batman Begins' Scarecrow
While there ’s no dubiety that Robert Downey Jr. would have pull off an impressive performance as Jonathan Crane’sScarecrow inBatman Begins , this casting would have removed the superb talent of Cillian Murphy from the role . Murphy ’s Scarecrow has been widely recognized as one of the most sinister and psychological villain in New - day superhero cinema , as Murphy brought a degree of otherworldliness to the character that Robert Downey Jr. would have regain heavily to replicate . Downey Jr. may have been able to deliver an interesting performance , but it ’s hard to imagine anyone doing a better job than Murphy .
Even as the directly - lace Jonathan Crane , Cillian Murphy master a sense of blind presence and quiet charisma that made it difficult to watch anyone else . A overlord of manipulation , and perhaps one of superhero cinema ’s first levelheaded , scheming villain , rather than being an imposing and physically ambitious scourge , Murphy ’s Crane struck the double-dyed Libra between terror and reasoning . In the same way that it would perhaps be hard to opine Cillain Murphy portraying theMCU ’s Tony Stark , Robert Downey Jr. likely would n’t have been able to capture the right level of subtlety necessary forBatman Begins’Jonathan Crane .
RDJ’s Scarecrow Would Have Hurt His Perfect Iron Man Casting
In the same mode that have Robert Downey Jr. portrayJonathan Crane in theDark Knighttrilogywould have eliminated Cillian Murphy ’s brilliant performance as the villain , this role also would have made it hard - or insufferable - for Downey Jr. to star as Tony Stark ’s Iron Man in the MCU.Murphy ’s Scarecrow appear in all three movies in theDark Knighttrilogy : 2005’sBatman Menachem Begin , 2008’sThe Dark Knightand 2012’sThe Dark Knight Rises . Had Downey Jr. assumed this role , this would ’ve made commit to portray Iron Man from his 2006 casting until 2019’sAvengers : Endgameimpractical .
This means that it ’s likely Marvel Studios andIron Mandirector Jon Favreau would have cast someone else in the function of Tony Stark , and there were severalpotential prospect for Iron Manback in the daytime , let in Sam Rockwell , Timothy Olyphant and Jim Caviezel . This would have stripped the MCU of Robert Downey Jr. ’s charisma , which is arguably something that kept many audience members concerned in the franchise ’s former days . Downey Jr. became synonymous with the character of Tony Stark ’s Iron Man , but this could have been miss had he take the role of Scarecrow inBatman Begins.
