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If RDJ Leaves the Suit Behind: 10 Actors Who Could Play Iron Man

People say that no one could play Iron Man as good as RDJ, but there are other actors who could, given the chance.

By Jacob CraigPublished 6 years ago 6 min read
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Can Iron Man live on after Robert Downey Jr?

There have been rumors of Robert Downey Jr. leaving his role of Iron Man after the upcoming Captain America: Civil War, and because of this I thought I would list some actors who could take up the mantle. While some people always say that no one could play Iron Man as good as RDJ, I would like to prove those people wrong. It's been said that Marvel has had so much success only because of Jr.'s casting as Iron Man, so could there be anyone that would have that same effect? Well, I can suggest 10 people, and I'll let you decide.

1. Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has the sarcastic behavior and snark that goes along with Iron Man, as well as the goatee and the older yet handsome look. While Depp hasn't made the best movie choices as of late, just put his roles in The Lone Ranger, Mortdecai, and all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies out of your head, and think about Depp as the sarcastic classic A-Lister we know and love.

2. Leonardo DiCaprio

Think about Leo with his hair dyed black, and the kind of character he played in The Wolf of Wall Street. DiCaprio is a little younger than RDJ or Depp, but he could still pull off the weary billionaire playboy. Besides, if they cast a younger actor, there wouldn't be the chance of him leaving because of his age, which is the rumored reason RDJ could leave.

3. Bradley Cooper

Yes, I know that Bradley Cooper does the voice of Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy, but Paul Bettany does the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. and is still The Vision. They addressed the fact that The Vision sounds like J.A.R.V.I.S., but I think that they could either get a different voice for Rocket, or when The Avengers and The Guardians of the Galaxy meet, they could make a joke about it. They could even just let it be the elephant in the room. The point is, Cooper could pull off this role just as good as RDJ, because he is Iron Man. He's sarcastic, he's handsome, and the ideal role for him would be a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. It would be worth the trouble to have Cooper in this role.

4. Matt Bomer

I have to give a shout out to fellow creator Jonathan Johnson for this idea I got from his Avengers fan cast (which you should all go read). I would have never thought about Matt Bomer playing Iron Man on my own, but once I saw him fan cast in the role, it just clicked. He's smart and charismatic, he's charming and sarcastic, and he looks like the rich playboy type. While he would probably be a lot different than RDJ's Iron Man, I don't think it would be in a bad way.

5. Colin Farrell

Yes, he was apart of the Marvel universe because he played Bullseye in Daredevil, but since it's been technically rebooted into a Netflix series, I think it's safe to use Farrell in a fan cast. When the rumors of RDJ leaving seemed like fact last year, it was rumored that Farrell was the current front runner. I personally thought it was a good idea, and I think most everyone else did, too. Farrell is a great actor, and he is a quite sarcastic hotshot in real life. While he doesn't have the appealing look of Iron Man like Jr does, I think we would be able to do without if he does half as good as I think he would.

6. Jon Hamm

Come on, Don Draper is practically Tony Stark, but just a little more of a badass. Jon Hamm is used to playing a character that plays by his own rules, and isn't too far off from the Iron Man look. I believe that Hamm would deliver a character that is a little different and less sarcastic, and more serious and devious. With the upcoming Infinity Wars movies, that wouldn't be a bad characteristic in the character.

7. Nathan Fillion

On the other hand, Fillion could give us a version of the character that is completely lovable and sarcastic. Nathan is an amazing and popular actor, and while he could quite easily play a damaged and serious Tony Stark, his charm and sarcasm makes the whole movie experience worth while. I have no clue what kind of Tony Stark we'll be seeing in the future, whether he's unsure and emotionally wounded like in Iron Man 3, or completely back to normal like in The Avengers: Age Of Ultron. I do hope he stays the Iron Man we all know and love, and Fillion would be perfect for that kind of character.

8. Timothy Olyphant

You know how everyone thought Asa Butterfield was locked in for Spider-Man, and then the announcement that Tom Holland got the role came out of nowhere? That's what happened with Timothy Olyphant in the role of Iron Man. Tim has the look and is at the right age for Tony Stark, and can pull off the sarcastic playboy charm needed for the role. While Olyphant isn't nearly as popular as RDJ, I think that could change after he inevitably nails the role of Iron Man.

9. James Franco

After two Spider-Man reboots, I think it's safe to use James Franco (the former Green Goblin) in a fan cast. While some of you might think this is an outlandish choice, Franco has the wit and charisma to pull off the genius playboy we all know and love. Also, it helps that Franco looks like a younger, squinted Robert Downey Jr. You know it's there, just look at him. Franco has shown that he can handle serious and action roles in Spider-Man and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but at the same time he's still the same wise cracker from Freaks and Geeks that we love. That is a truly Iron Man like quality.

10. Keanu Reeves

While Keanu Reeves hasn't played the Iron Man type character a lot before, I'm confident he can pull it off. Reeves is one of the most diverse actors in Hollywood, and he has the look for Tony Stark. Chances are there would be a lot of fan hate at first, but Reeves has the skills to give us the character we deserve. I might be a little biased since he's my favorite actor, but I think he could take on the role. I'll let you decide.

Honorable Mentions: Alec Baldwin

While Baldwin's character from 30 Rock is the ideal Iron Man, at 57, he's just a little too old for my taste. The fact that all the years (of drinking) have started to pile up on him, and the fact that he's more crazy than popular now-a-days, means to me that no one would welcome him into the role. But for good reason.

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg has said in an interview that he would love to play Iron Man after RDJ, but I just don't know how I feel about it. He couldn't loose his accent if his life depended on it, we haven't seen him play a good billionaire playboy role, and chances are he wouldn't be as believable as a sarcastic charmer compared to Jr. or anyone else on this list. There are just too many variables where Marky Mark is concerned.

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About the Creator

Jacob Craig

Stand-up comic. MMA historian. I can guarantee I'm the geekiest person you know. Men in Black 2 is the greatest movie of all time, change my mind.

Twitter: @jacobccraig

Insta: @jacomalfoy1

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