SAEDNEWS: Robert Downey Jr. was offered a cameo in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'
According to SAEDNEWS, In a surprising twist, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, co-writers of the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine film, have disclosed that Robert Downey Jr. was approached for a cameo as his iconic Iron Man character, Tony Stark. However, to the writers' and lead star Ryan Reynolds' astonishment, Downey turned down the opportunity.
“We had wanted him to do a cameo. We had written that scene [to start] with Happy and Downey,” Wernick told IndieWire, explaining that the scene in question involved Deadpool jumping through time to pitch himself to the Avengers, only to be rejected for not being a team player. Downey’s Tony Stark and Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan were intended to play pivotal roles in this comedic moment.
“Ryan Reynolds read the scene with both of them, so in hopes we could get Downey,” Reese elaborated. “But he also wanted Favreau, because they’re a great combo, and they were all in the scene together.”
What the writers didn’t realize at the time was that Downey was gearing up for a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a different character—Doctor Doom. Wernick explained, “Behind the scenes, we didn’t know about the Doctor Doom. And there’s no way he was going to do both.”
Reese humorously lamented the snag in their plans, stating, “Oh, Downey doesn’t say ‘no’ to Ryan Reynolds, does he? No one says no to Ryan Reynolds.” Despite Ryan making a strong pitch, Downey’s commitment to a new role was already in the works. “We wrote scenes, and Downey read the scenes, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was this Doctor Doom thing,” Wernick added.
In reflecting on the situation, Reese noted, “He was the only ‘no’ we’ve ever gotten, I think, in terms of people just saying, ‘Hey, I don’t want to do it.’” He continued, “I mean, look, we would’ve loved to have Downey, but, at the same time, I think Marvel had this ace in their hole, which is he’s about to come back in this different character. So, to have him be Tony Stark? Knowing that Doctor Doom was coming on the heels of that? It just didn’t make sense.”
As fans anticipate the arrival of this new film, it’s clear that the journey to bringing beloved characters back to the screen is rarely straightforward. Stay tuned for more updates on Deadpool, Wolverine, and the ongoing Marvel saga!