Before Robert Downey Jr.’s return to Marvel as Doctor Doom, the creators of “Deadpool & Wolverine” explored the possibility of bringing him back as Tony Stark. Director Shawn Levy revealed that almost everyone approached for a cameo in the film agreed to participate, including Jennifer Garner (Elektra), Henry Cavill (The “Cavillrine” Wolverine variant) and Wesley Snipes (Blade).
However, one major cameo didn’t materialize. “That’s true,” co-writer Rhett Reese told the Hollywood Reporter in an interview about rumors of a Downey, 59, cameo. “That’s definitely something we were toying with.
” “There is a script. We have the Downey draft,” co-writer Paul Wernick confirmed to the outlet. In the scene the audiences see in theaters, Deadpool/Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) travels to the Avengers Tower in 2018 to meet with Happy Hogan (“Iron Man” director Jon Favreau) and inquires if Tony Stark will be joining them.
In the original version, Reynolds, 47, wrote that Tony and Happy appear together. The “Deadpool & Wolverine” team prepared for the possibility that Downey might decline or Marvel might veto the cameo. “The feeling was, if Downey either decides not to do it, or if Marvel decides not to have him do it, or for whatever reason it doesn’t work out, [it would then] be tailored for Happy Hogan,” explained Reese.
Ultimately, Downey was busy with a different return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as his upcoming role as Doctor Doom was annou.