(November 9, 2006) — Academy Award Nominee Robert Downey Jr. has played a singing detective, a pick-up artist, Charlie Chaplin, and most recently, a man covered head to toe in hair in ?Fur.? He can now be added to the distinguished list of “actors turned on-screen superheroes taking on injustice” in the adaptation of Marvel?s “Iron Man”.

?We?re in pre-production and I?m stoked,? Downey told Access Hollywood.

Though Downey was announced in September as being cast as Tony Stark - a billionaire industrialist who dons a high-tech suit of armor to fight terrorists using technology developed by his own company - early rumors reported by both the trades and internet had Tom Cruise attached to the part. While the script was still in development, no official confirmation ever surfaced from the Cruise camp regarding the role.

Ironically though, the studio partnering with Marvel behind “Iron Man” is the same one that recently and abruptly severed business ties with him, so the reality of Cruise?s participation in the film may have eventually proved to be a true impossible mission, or something like that.

?Iron Man? will be directed by Jon Favreau, who is perhaps better known for his work in front of the camera in ?Swingers,? ?Friends,? and as the host of IFC’s ?Dinner For Five.? No stranger to the genre of comic book movies, Jon was also featured in 2003’s “Daredevil” as Foggy Nelson alongside Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. As a director, he has proved to be a force behind the lens helming such films as the Will Ferrell comedy ?Elf? and the special effects heavy ?Zathura.?

“Jon is gonna be a great director for it and we got a really great cast coming together,” Downey said about Favreau and the expanding list of co-stars that includes fellow Academy Award Nominee Terrance Howard as Tony Stark?s strategic confidante Jim “Rhodey” Rhodes. ?It?s just a blast,? he added.

In the comic book storyline, Iron Man?s alter ego has a darker side that deals with alcoholism. ?If you look back through Marvel?s history, he?s probably the most ambiguous,? he notes. Whether it?s intentional or just coincidental, Downey’s very public past problems with substance abuse will no doubt bring an underlying art imitates life nuance to the film. Though Downey is quick to point out, ?That really doesn?t come in until much later in the series. It?s more that he?s just conflicted about his past.?

Something Downey looks forward to about the role is what he feels separates Iron Man from other on-screen superheroes. ?He doesn?t get bit by something. He doesn?t have some weirdo vendetta. He?s smart. MIT graduate at seventeen. He has to build this suit to escape,? referring to Stark?s construction of the super armor to use as the means of ending his captivity by adversaries.

Even though he takes each of his on-screen roles very seriously, at heart Downey still plans on having fun with the whole experience of being a superhero. ?To be able to be a 41-year old guy going into my most fun butch phase of my life is kinda great.?

?Iron Man? is scheduled for release on May 2nd, 2008.

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