Anika Begay
The big picture
- Robert Downey Jr. was almost cast in the role
Deadpool and Wolverine
in a cameo as Tony Stark. - Screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick had originally written a scene for Jon Favreau and Downey, but Favreau ultimately had to play the role himself.
- Despite efforts to secure Downey for the film, Marvel had other plans for him as Doctor Doom in
Avengers: Judgment Day
.
Judging by the fact that Deadpool and Wolverine is nearing the billion-dollar mark at the box office, it’s safe to assume that you’ve seen the film by now. With that in mind, it’s time to dive into some of the behind-the-scenes secrets of By Shawn Levy blockbuster hit, courtesy of the co-writers Dr. Rhett Reese AND Paul Wernickwho were involved in all three Dead Pool film. In an exclusive interview with IndieWire, the duo shared insights into some of the mishaps and near-misses during the making of Deadpool and WolverineOne of the most intriguing revelations? Robert Downey Jr. was almost cast in the film before ultimately accepting the role of Doctor Doom in the next Avengers: Judgment Day.
When asked about the scene in which he is present Jon Favreau Like Happy Hogan, the writers revealed they originally wrote him with both Favreau and Downey in mind. “We wanted him to do a cameo,” Wernick said. “We had that scene written [to start] with Happy and Downey.” Reese added, “My name is Ryan Reynolds. he read the scene with both of them, so in the hope that he could get Downey. But he also wanted Favreau, because they are such a great couple, and they are all in the scene together.”
However, apparently, there were bigger plans for Downey than the Deadpool and Wolverine team was unaware of at the time. “Behind the scenes, we didn’t know about the Doctor Doom thing,” Wernick explained. “And there was no way he was going to do both.” Despite Reynolds’ best efforts to secure Downey for the film, the timing didn’t work out. “Ryan gave him a good beating. We wrote the scenes and Downey read them, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was this Doctor Doom thing,” Wernick said.
What would Robert Downey Jr. have done in “Deadpool and Wolverine”?
So what would Downey’s role have been like in Deadpool and Wolverine? Reese explained, “It was a version of what you saw in the sense that he pushed Wade away. He just said he wasn’t a team player or anything like that and questioned his ability as a team player. So it was actually pretty similar to the scene you saw. There were just two guys instead of one.”
Favreau eventually stepped in and gave a memorable performance, but the writers couldn’t help but imagine what could have been. “We would have loved to have Downey,” Reese said. “But at the same time, I think Marvel had this trick up their sleeve, which is that he’s coming back as this different character. So to have him be Tony Stark? Knowing that Doctor Doom was coming in right after? It just didn’t make sense.”
As always, stay tuned to Collider for more exclusive insights and insights on your favorite films.
Deadpool and Wolverine
Wolverine joins the “merc with a big mouth” in the third installment of the Deadpool film series.
- Duration
- 128 minutes
- Writers
- With Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza, Paul Wernick, Wendy Molyneux, Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin
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