Here’s why Robert Downey Jr declined to do Iron Man cameo in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Robert Downey Jr has long been synonymous with Tony Stark, the iconic Iron Man who kick-started the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

So when news broke that Downey had declined an offer to reprise his role in the much-anticipated 'Deadpool & Wolverine' film, it left many fans puzzled.

Now, the film’s co-writers, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, have shed light on the actor’s decision, revealing that it wasn’t just about timing or creative differences.

The actor's decision is deeply tied to his surprising return to the MCU, not as Iron Man, but as the villainous Doctor Doom, as reported by Variety.

Robert Downey Jr turned down Iron Man cameo in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, known for their witty and irreverent writing, had crafted a scene in 'Deadpool & Wolverine' that would have seen Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark making a brief but memorable appearance.

The scene was set to take place early in the film when Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, known for his outrageous antics and disregard for authority, uses Cable’s time machine to hop into the Sacred Timeline.

His mission? To secure a spot in the Avengers lineup, despite his notorious reputation for being anything but a team player.

The scene was meticulously crafted with Jon Favreau's Happy Hogan, a beloved character in the MCU, set to reject Deadpool's plea.

Originally, however, Downey’s Tony Stark was also meant to be in the room, adding an extra layer of humor and tension to the encounter.

Wernick shared, "We had wanted him to do a cameo. We had written that scene [to start] with Happy and Downey."

The idea was that Tony Stark would be present alongside Happy Hogan as they both dismiss Deadpool's outrageous pitch.

"Ryan Reynolds wrote the scene with both of them, so in the hopes we could get Downey. But he also wanted Favreau, because they’re a great combo, and they were all in the scene together," Reese added.

Despite their best efforts and Reynolds’ enthusiasm, the team was met with a surprising response from Downey: a polite but firm refusal.

The reason behind this unexpected decision only became clear later when the writers discovered Downey’s secret involvement in another Marvel project that would see him return in a vastly different role.

"Behind the scenes, we didn’t know about the Doctor Doom [role]. And there’s no way he was going to do both," Wernick revealed.

"And then we said, 'Oh, Downey doesn’t say 'no' to Ryan Reynolds, does he? No one says no to Ryan Reynolds.' And Ryan gave him the hard press. We wrote scenes, and Downey read the scenes, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was this Doctor Doom thing," he continued.

Robert Downey Jr's decision to decline Iron Man cameo sparks debate online

The news of Robert Downey Jr's decision to pass on the cameo sparked mixed reactions on the internet.

One Facebook user commented, "Why couldn't he do both? Josh Brolin did both Thanos and Cable after all," while another remarked, "They should have scraped robert as doom and put Mads Mikkelsen in the role."

Another expressed similar sentiment: "There other Better actors to be Tony Stark/Iron Man."

One comment read, "Downey's ego is bigger than his acting chops."

Another X user stated, "'No one says no to Ryan Reynolds' girl bye ew," while another added, "'No one says no to Ryan Reynolds' is INSANE. He actually thinks he’s important it’s crazy."

A user said, "'No way says no to Ryan Reynolds' Who does he think he is? Lmfao Deadpool saved bros career."

A final user remarked, "Sorry, no one says no to Ryan Reynolds?! What? I don’t like either but Robert Downey Jr can absolutely say no because he’s Robert Downey Jr maybe more people should say no to Ryan Reynolds because he’s so annoying."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.