Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise addresses long-standing rumors claiming he was close to playing Tony Stark in the Iron Man film franchise
Tom Cruise responded to rumors of his near-casting as Tony Stark in the Iron Man movie franchise and revealed he hasn’t nixed the idea of potentially appearing in a superhero film.
Speaking with Phase Zero, Cruise was asked about widespread speculation that he nearly ended up as the lead in 2008’s Iron Man, the MCU’s first feature film. Despite reports dating back to its premiere suggesting he was close to landing the part over Robert Downey Jr., Cruise downplayed the possibility. “Not close,” Cruise said. “I love Robert Downey Jr., and I can’t imagine anyone else doing that role, and I think it’s perfect for him.”
Will Tom Cruise Appear in a Superhero Film?
Though Cruise didn’t end up joining the highly-successful Iron Man series, he hasn’t ruled out the chance of ending up in a superhero film before his storied acting career ends. “I look at a movie and think, you know, I don’t rule anything out. It’s “What’s the story? What’s the character?” he said. Cruise has regularly been linked with Iron Man ever since he was offered the chance to play the titular Marvel hero, an offer he reportedly turned down due to wanting control over the project. Despite an acclaimed history of playing action heroes such as Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible franchise and Jack Reacher in the eponymous 2012 movie, Cruise has never appeared in a superhero movie.
The Iron Man franchise became among the most popular set of MCU films since Marvel established the universe, reviving Downey Jr.’s career after struggling with various personal demons throughout the 1990s and 2000s. The Iron Man trilogy grossed over $2.3 billion at the worldwide box office, winning Downey Jr. multiple awards and boosting the directorial career of Jon Favreau, who Downey recently inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Tom Cruise’s Success With Top Gun: Maverick
Cruise recently starred in Top Gun: Maverick, a massively successful sequel to the original 1986 film. Maverick earned $1.49 billion in global ticket sales while garnering several major accolades, including a pair of nods at the 80th Golden Globes and seven nominations at the 95th Academy Awards, including for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The success of Maverick, which also featured the Booster Gold-linked Glen Powell, Val Kilmer, Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly, has led to talk of Top Gun 3 being made at some point. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer said he has yet to speak to Cruise about a possible threequel, with no concrete plans in place to make it happen.
Fans can stream Maverick via Paramount+ or Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Phase Zero via YouTube
