Internet abuzz as Robert Downey Jr reveals unsuccessfully pitching himself as ‘Batman’ villain Scarecrow

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a delightful case of sliding doors, Robert Downey Jr recently revealed that he had unsuccessfully pitched playing the villain Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’s 2005 film 'Batman Begins,' per PEOPLE.

Though the role ultimately went to Cillian Murphy, Internet commenters agreed that Downey Jr’s superhero destiny was always to land the career-defining part of Tony Stark/Iron Man.

The Oscar-nominated actors have now come full circle by co-starring in Nolan’s atomic drama 'Oppenheimer,' leading fans to affectionately dub the casting twist as "meant to be".

Robert Downey Jr actively campaigned for Scarecrow's role

Addressing the audience at the American Cinematheque theater in Los Angeles during a Q & A session, Downey Jr confirmed rumors that he had actively campaigned for the Scarecrow's role in Nolan's first 'Batman' film.

"I'm pretty sure I heard about [the role] and I was like, 'I'm Scarecrow,'" Downey Jr recalled. "And then I remember meeting [Nolan] for tea and I was like, 'He doesn't seem like he's really in on this interview'."

Though Downey Jr was enthusiastic about playing the fear-obsessed villain, he got the sense that Nolan was not seriously considering him for the part.

"He was polite and all that," Downey Jr said. "But you can tell when someone is kind of like, 'It's not going to go anywhere'."

The Scarecrow's role ultimately went to Murphy, who made such an impression as a Batman auditionee that Nolan created a role for him when he realized Murphy was not right for Batman. Murphy went on to appear as the creepy, burlap sack-wearing Scarecrow in all three of Nolan's acclaimed 'Batman' films.

Internet considers it a blessing in disguise for Robert Downey Jr

Though Downey Jr may have missed out on the chance to battle Christian Bale's Batman as Scarecrow, social media users noted that this was a blessing in disguise. Just three years later in 2008, Downey Jr landed the career-defining role of Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, launching his legendary run in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

One X user humorously quipped, "Strauss lost out to Oppenheimer in real life and the movie haha."

Another expressed gratitude, stating, "Thank goodness Christopher Nolan turned down Robert Downey Jr for Scarecrow. He was meant to be Iron Man."

A third user credited Murphy for his indirect impact on the MCU, remarking, "Looks like we have Cillian Murphy to thank for the MCU."

Another person weighed in, asserting, "Thank god he got beat out."

A fifth user contemplated the broader impact, stating, "In the end, it worked better for both DC and Marvel that it went this way."

Lastly, a sixth user concurred, expressing relief, "Glad he didn’t get that role. He was perfect for Iron Man!"

Robert Downey Jr and Cillian Murphy reunite in Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer'

In an amazing full-circle moment, both Downey Jr and Murphy recently reunited onscreen in director Nolan's latest film, the atomic bomb drama 'Oppenheimer.'

Downey Jr's first major film role after retiring as Iron Man, 'Oppenheimer' represents the first collaboration between the actor and Nolan - the director who passed him over for Scarecrow nearly 20 years ago.

Murphy stars in the film as J Robert Oppenheimer, head of the real-life Manhattan Project. After playing the Scarecrow three times for Nolan, Murphy expressed that he had long hoped to one day take top billing in one of Nolan's films. It seems Downey Jr also never gave up on joining the elite crew of Nolan's favored actors.

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.