"I am Iron Man." Four words that instantly became iconic the moment Robert Downey Jr. uttered them in the first Iron Man movie. Downey has won numerous awards for his performances, including a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award, and has become one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood.
The Iron Man movies and character has become larger than itself, and that started with Iron Man. The film was the first in Marvel's phase one—made with a budget of $140 million. When it premiered in 2008, it grossed over $585 million, making it the eighth highest-grossing film of 2008.
One of the most recognizable parts of the character is the suit. The franchise always delivers when it comes to making the superhero's costumes come to life from the comic books.
But Downey has a complicated history regarding his Iron Man helmet.
Robert Downey Jr. And His Iron Man Helmet
While speaking with David Letterman on his show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Downey reflected on his iconic role as Iron Man and shared some insights on the character's helmet.
While speaking about the first time he put it on, Downey said, "Initially, everything was really there. They wanted to spend as little as they could on CG replacement, so I remember this helmet went on, and there'd be a shot, and I'd be in this whole suit, and they'd say... 'All right, Robert, it's like you landed on the roof, so when we say action, just go like that, like you just landed, and then start moving forward.' So I put this helmet on, and it slammed closed, and I couldn't see anything, and then these LED lights went on, and it was like The Manchurian Candidate... I was absolutely blinded."
So, using an actual helmet in other films was a different experience than the first Iron Man. "By the time we were doing the last Avengers, they'd just be like, 'Hey Robert, would you mind putting on that helmet? No?! Yes? No, put two dots here, and then you can paint it in later," he joked.
"The helmet was really hard, it's really hot, you can't breathe, and it was just a pain in the ass," Downey said. "But, you know, so worth it."
Despite the helmet's challenges, Downey acknowledged its importance in bringing the character to life. "It's all part of the suspension of disbelief," he said. "When you're doing a scene, and you're looking around, and you see a camera and a boom mic, and you're like, 'Oh, right. I'm not in the suit.'"
Downey also shared details on how the Iron Man suit was created and evolved. "The first suit, it was sort of like a prototype," he explained. "And then we started to get the look of it, and then by the third one, we really had it down."
The Challenges With The Iron Man Helmet
Downey opened up about his experience wearing the Iron Man helmet and how it was integral to his performance.
"I was kind of the OG in terms of wearing it," Downey said. "The first time I wore it, I think I was just like, 'Wow, this is amazing.'"
But, as with any new piece of technology, there were some kinks to work out. "We had some issues with the first one. It was hard to breathe," he revealed. "And then they're like, 'We're going to paint it black inside,' and I was like, 'Well, then I'm going to need a stunt double for the scenes where I have to run because I'm going to pass out.'"
Despite the challenges, Downey says that the Iron Man helmet helped him get into character and become fully immersed in the role. "It was really cool to put that thing on and have it kind of instantly transmogrify you into this other thing," he said.
And while he may have hung up his superhero suit for good, his legacy as the iconic Tony Stark will live on for years.
Would Robert Downey Jr. Ever Revise His Iron Man Role?
During a recent interview with io9, Marvel Studios VP of Production & Development Stephen Broussard discussed how Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was all about new characters taking the lead. Broussard stated, "Well, I think one of the meta-narratives of Phase Four was about new characters. It was about new people stepping into mantles."
Broussard cited examples of new characters being introduced in Phase 4, such as Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Kate Bishop in the Disney+ series Hawkeye.
He also mentioned new characters introduced in other media, including Jack in Werewolf by Night. Broussard emphasized the passing of the torch from established characters like Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, who he noted was "no longer being [on the] table."
Broussard's comments came amid speculation about Downey Jr. potentially reprising his role as Iron Man in a future Multiverse Saga project. Some fans have speculated that Iron Man spin-offs like Ironheart and Armor Wars and potential future Avengers projects could provide opportunities for the character to return.
As for Downey's thoughts on whether he would return, the actor said, "When you're in the MCU, there's a feeling of all life beginning and ending with it. But there's life outside too. I can confirm this. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt."
"I have alighted for now. Real-world to save. But never say never."