Delay or Reuse: What Robert Downey Jr.’s MCU Return Means for Cinema and Hollywood Acting

Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo are all actors who have a solid oeuvre of diverse work behind them. To limit it to just superhero films now may ultimately be a degradation of that legacy and, even sadder, a betrayal of their art form and the years they have dedicated to it.

Robert Downey Jr. is the new face of the Fantastic Four villain, Doctor Doom. (Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images.)

New Delhi: The announcement of Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has sent shockwaves around the world, as only someone with such stardom in such a major film franchise can do. It’s divisive. The latest film in the Avengers series, ‘Avengers Doomsday’, has been announced by Marvel Cinematic Universe. The announcement was made by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige at San Diego Comic-Con 2024.

American actor Robert Downey Jr., known for his role as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), revealed himself on stage in Hall H as the new face of the Fantastic Four villain, Doctor Doom.

The announcement was divisive to say the least. Downey, who is seen by many, including himself, as the reason for the resurgence of the Marvel franchise as the global superpower it is today, to re-enter the Marvel fray has been well received by many. Some see it as him downgrading himself to a smaller role after the success of his iconic Iron Man stint, others see him succumbing to the charms of money and fame as he returns to another Marvel role following his Oscar win for a more “serious” acting gig in the film “Oppenheimer.” Whatever the case, this decision by Downey Jr. is certainly emblematic of much that is happening in the Hollywood industry, cinema as an art form in general, and the craft of acting and the acting careers of many Hollywood stalwarts.

Forward or backward?

After thanking his “horrible childhood and the Academy, in that order,” American actor Robert Downey Jr. added when accepting his Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film Oppenheimer: “Here’s my little secret. I needed this job more than the job needed me.”
This was likely said in reference to Downey Jr. feeling satiated as a “serious” actor after years of routine roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The son of avant-garde filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. of “Putney Swope” fame, Downy Jr. has appeared in a series of more “serious” or “arty” films since the beginning of his career. Although his career took a downward turn due to drug abuse issues and police arrests, it was the Marvel film Iron Man that rocketed his career to superstardom and made him a household name.

It may not have done much to quench his artistic thirst, which was finally sated when he delivered a mesmerizing performance in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” One would expect Downey, a pioneer and legacy artist, to continue on this newfound path with similar films of more “serious” content. It’s his choice to return to Marvel that has confused fans, both of his older, more serious work and even die-hard Iron Man fans.

For many around the world who consider Iron Man and Robert Downy Jr. inseparable, it goes against the grain to claim that he was “born to play this role” and see him as a character in the Marvel Universe.

Downey is not an isolated case, however, and this penchant for superhero films, often criticized by more “serious” directors like Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott, is now finding increasing acceptance among “serious” actors. This is where the conundrum lies in contemporary Hollywood.

An actor’s ‘choice’

It is often said that an actor is shaped by the ‘choices’ he or she makes. It has a direct bearing on their craft and their legacy. While an actor’s qualities are honed throughout their life, both off-screen and on-screen, the roles they play cement a style of craft and perspective on the art form. An Al Pacino or a Jim Carrey is as much a product of the series of roles they choose to do at different stages of their career, as much as they are a product of their talent

This clarity in decision-making to cement both craft and legacy seems to be waning among many top Hollywood actors. Despite having had a glittering career, they now find the transition to a more advanced career difficult.

For their temporary help, superhero movies seem an easy answer. It helps to keep the monetary aspects and those of fame easily intact. The question is whether this does not result in ignoring the development of craft and helping it evolve into an older, more mature period of development.

Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo are all actors with solid oeuvres of diverse work under their belts. To limit it to just superhero films now may ultimately be a degradation of that legacy and, sadder still, a betrayal of their art form and the years they’ve dedicated to it.

The answer, unfortunately, is not so easy to formulate at this point. Marvel and other superhero films work. They bring in the numbers and will continue to be made. There are also innovations in the way they are made and alongside a thriving culture of more successful parallel art films, there is also a thriving culture of more successful parallel art films worldwide. The answer, which is often equilibrium, may ultimately be found for cinema as an art form, what may suffer is the talented crop of actors who are at their current peak, and this would be a sad loss for this generation of visual artists.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author alone. The opinions and facts expressed in this article do not represent the position of News9.)