Jon Favreau's Iron Man was the seed that sprouted and bloomed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over a decade of dazzling adventures can all be owed to Iron Man. It was a film that nobody really had any faith in prior to release but it became a shocking hit of the late 2000s. It turned Robert Downey Jr. into a star, turned Iron Man into an icon, and set up the Avengers.
With that in mind, it seems fitting to ask the Marvel question: what if? What if instead of 2008, Iron Man got his big-screen debut in 1988? Would it have been the same success that the Robert Downey Jr. movie was? Speaking of, who would play all the iconic characters back then?
9 Yinsen - F. Murray Abraham
Of Syrian descent, F. Murray Abraham was already a hit for films like Amadeus, Scarface, and the Marco Polo mini-series. This makes him a perfect fit for the man who technically lit the fuse that would spark the Marvel Universe by saving Tony Stark. Though it would have been a much smaller role for him, it likely would have also been a memorable one.
8 Happy Hogan - Jeff Goldblum
Before he was the Grandmaster in Thor Ragnarok, Jeff Goldblum has always been a huge and versatile star. One second he would be playing in a dark and disturbing horror like The Fly; then be in a wacky adventure like The Adventures Of Buckaroo Bonzai Across The 8th Dimension.
One could easily see Jeff Goldblum nailing the overly serious yet somehow hilarious energy of Happy Hogan. Starting off as Tony Stark's bodyguard then evolving into a mentor for Spider-Man in future films.
7 Nick Fury - Kurt Russell
In the 1980s, there was a vastly different Nick Fury in the comics. The version Samuel L. Jackson played was actually inspired by the actor in the 2000s comics, so the casting was perfect. In the 1980s, Nick Fury was Caucasian and more of a gunslinger.
A bit of a typecast but an actor who proved to pull off a nearly identical look was Kurt Russell. His character of Snake Plissken in Escape From New York wore an eyepatch, had the gruff look, and was on spy-like missions. So, similar to Jackson's version, the character was practically meant for him.
6 Agent Phil Coulson - Dan Aykroyd
Who could play the always present and witty Phil Coulson? Fresh off his success from Ghostbusters, The Blues Brothers, and Spies Like Us, Dan Aykroyd seems like a solid choice. Aykroyd was mainly known for his comedic roles which would help in portraying the character.
If given the chance, he could have delivered the seriousness and emotion of the character that would come in later films like The Avengers.
5 J.A.R.V.I.S. - Jeremy Irons
Tony Stark's supercomputer pal JARVIS AKA Just A Rather Very Intelligent System. This would not only be an actor who could portray the sassy voice but later become the Vision, a fellow Avenger. This is where Jeremy Irons would crush it as he does in every movie.
Everyone knows Jeremy Irons can provide a great voice due to his Shakespearian work, including The Lion King. Jeremy Irons can definitely play a sassy butler-type character as shown with his time as Alfred Pennyworth. If Marvel Studios had access to the right makeup and special effects, Irons could have portrayed Vision just as perfectly as Paul Bettany.
4 James "Rhodey" Rhodes - Eddie Murphy
Another actor more famous for comedic roles, Eddie Murphy was practically a king of Hollywood in the 1980s. Coming To America and The Golden Child showed off that he could make audiences' sides hurt from making them laugh.
Over the years, Eddie Murphy has shown to handle action and serious roles well. 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Harlem Nights, and more. In more recent years, he showed off brilliant acting chops with his overlooked Mr. Church. All of this shows that Eddie Murphy could have evolved just like Don Cheadle did in the role.
3 Pepper Potts - Lea Thompson
Of course, the obvious showcase of Lea Thompson's acting is playing the multiple versions of Lorraine across the Back To The Future trilogy. That role alone shows her capabilities with comedy, adventure, and drama.
Thompson is one of the most underappreciated actresses, not given enough credit for her roles outside of Back To The Future. Red Dawn, All The Right Moves, and Some Kind of Wonderful all showcase her talent. Even in Jaws 3D she was one of the few memorable characters. She could have easily brought Pepper Potts to life back in 1988.
2 Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger - Donald Sutherland
Jeff Bridges is one of the best working actors of all time, so it was no surprise he could pull off being deceptively charismatic and scary at the same time. He was the perfect starter villain for Iron Man, so who could have played him in 1988?
Well another master class actor: Donald Sutherland. Sutherland was already a legend by 1988 having been in Kelly's Heroes, M.A.S.H., and Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. Even to this day, Sutherland has played so many types of roles that Iron Monger would have been a piece of cake for him.
1 Tony Stark/Iron Man - Charlie Sheen
This is the big one: it is almost impossible to imagine anyone else besides Robert Downey Jr. in the role of Iron Man. However, back in 2008, Robert Downey Jr. was considered to be the black sheep choice. Due to his harsh past, RDJ was not a major star anymore and it was Iron Man that brought him back.
So going with that pattern of an unorthodox casting: Charlie Sheen screams Tony Stark. Not only does he match the look but he's built most of his career out of playing cocky, smarmy characters. However, he has done serious roles like The Arrival, Young Guns, and Wall Street. If given the chance, Charlie Sheen could have been as iconic of an Iron Man as RDJ is today.
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