Casting Iron Man - 8 Stars Robert Downey Jr. Competed With to Play Marvel Hero (See Who Got an Offer But Wasn't Interested!)

Robert Downey Jr. might be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a new role, but we knew him first and best as Iron Man.

After all, him being cast as the iconic hero was one of the first strokes of genius that laid the groundwork for the creation of the MCU that we have come to know and love. However, he was very nearly not cast as the iconic hero.

The Oscar-winning actor kickstarted the MCU with the first Iron Man movie in 2008. Now, it’s abundantly clear that he is the “genius...