Could Iron Man have been made without Robert Downey, Jr.? Although fans can hardly imagine Iron Man without the actor, director Jon Favreau has recently revealed that he had to fight for Downey, Jr. to get the role.

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Favreau said that when he brought up Downey, Jr. for the role of Tony Stark, he was rejected more than once by the heads of Marvel Studios. "It was my job as a director to show that it was the best choice creatively," Favreau shared on 100.3 Jack FM, "and now the Marvel Universe is the biggest franchise in film history."

Favreau said he was able to see the potential in Downey, Jr. and how this part was especially suited for him. "Everybody knew he was talented... Certainly by studying the 'Iron Man' role and developing that script I realized that the character seemed to line-up with Robert in all the good and bad ways," the director continued. "And the story of 'Iron Man' was really the story of Robert's career."

The Chef star went on to say the real question was whether Downey, Jr. was serious about the part.

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"History has definitely proven that he was dead serious about it and now he is the biggest star in the world," Favreau shared. Now the question is when will Iron Man 4 come out? Many have said not until 2018, and although fans love Downey, Jr. the next choice on their list may be Colin Farrell.

Tags: Iron Man 4 Robert Downey Jr Jon Favreau Movies