ComicBookMovie recently reported that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige wants Tom Cruise to play a Tony Stark/Iron Man variant in the upcoming ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars.’
The studio reportedly considered Cruise as the lead in 2008’s original ‘Iron Man’ until Robert Downey Jr. was cast. News said he was also approached for a cameo as the hero in 2022’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ but had to turn down the offer due to scheduling conflicts.
Cruise Didn’t Rule Out The Possibility
Cruise didn’t share much about his potential involvement in the MCU during past interviews but kept the door open for the possibility. ComicBook’s ‘Phase Zero’ podcast asked the ‘Top Gun’ star how close he was to play Tony Stark in 2023, and he shared:
“Not close. Not close. I love Robert Downey and I can’t imagine anyone else playing this role, and I think it’s perfect for him. 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? Does it interest me? Do I feel this is what an audience would like to see me in? What can I learn? What can I contribute? That’s really how I look at things.”
The Iron Man Actor Is Coming Back
RDJ’s Tony Stark died in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ by sacrificing himself to defeat Thanos. But Marvel recently announced the actor’s return as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con 2024.
It is not yet clear if Downey’s version will be Victor Von Doom who looks like Stark, or a variant of Stark who becomes the villain.
The actor’s first appearance as Doom, ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ will arrive on May 1, 2026. ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ will follow on May 7, 2027. The Russo brothers will direct both films.
