'The Avengers 2' Iron Man Casting; Joss Whedon Won't Film Without Robert Downey Jr.
Joss Whedon reportedly will not shoot The Avengers 2 without Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man.
The culminating piece of Marvel Studio's Phase 2 is set to begin filming in early 2014 for a release date in 2015, according to the Internet Movie Database. But the man who is slated to play Tony Stark has not yet signed on the dotted line.
Downey had a four-film contract with Marvel, and following the release of Iron Man 3, the actor had fulfilled that commitment. However, Whedon is enamored with Downey's performance as the cocky, eccentric, and extremely wealthy Iron Man.
"The day he was cast [as Tony Stark], I went up to [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige and said, "You brilliant son of a bitch," Whedon recently said in an interview with The Daily Beast.
What's more is that Whedon believes that Downey is the epitome of Tony Stark.
"He is Iron Man. He is Iron Man in the way that Sean Connery was James Bond. I have no intention of making Avengers 2 without him, nor do I think I'll be called upon to do that. I don't think it's in my interest, Marvel's interest, or his interest, and I think everything will be fine."
While we all know James Bond has been recast many times over, it appears that Whedon will fight to keep the man he thinks will help contribute to a high quality film. However, it also seems apparent that if push comes to shove, Whedon will look for another actor to play the superhero.
