“Iron Man” Robert Downey Jr. once missed out on a villain role in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

Before becoming Marvel’s Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. met with director Christopher Nolan to discuss a villainous role in Batman Begins.

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However, little-known is the fact that before his association with Marvel, Robert Downey Jr. missed the opportunity to participate in another superhero film project from DC. That was the blockbuster Batman Begins – the start of the legendary Batman trilogy by acclaimed director Christopher Nolan, released in 2005.

Robert Downey Jr. once discussed with Christopher Nolan about the role of Scarecrow in Batman Begins – Photo: Internet.

Sharing with American Cinematheque, Robert revealed that he met Nolan to discuss the villainous role of Scarecrow in this film. However, ultimately, the role went to Cillian Murphy, his close co-star in Oppenheimer, another project by Nolan.

Of course, in terms of skill, Robert would likely have done very well as Scarecrow. However, missing out on Batman Begins wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for the actor, as just 3 years later, he had the opportunity to become a screen superhero. Robert’s portrayal of Iron Man not only ushered in a new era for Marvel but also helped the studio overcome difficulties and build the massive empire that is the MCU today. Since then, the actor has appeared countless times in this cinematic universe, with 3 solo films, a presence in all 4 Avengers films, and cameo appearances in numerous other projects.

Meanwhile, Cillian Murphy’s version of Scarecrow also left a lasting impression. Thanks to his outstanding performance and terrifying appearance, Cillian created a truly haunting Jonathan Crane, as if stepping out of the pages of DC comics. After Batman Begins, the actor continued to reprise this role in the next 2 films, The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

Robert Downey Jr.’s “missed opportunity” with the role of Scarecrow opened up a new era for the actor’s career and Hollywood’s superhero genre – Photo: Internet.

More than a decade later, fate has brought the top contenders for the Scarecrow role together in Christopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster – Oppenheimer, a film that is highly regarded for this year’s Oscar race. Both Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. are also heavy contenders for the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories.