“The Marvel folks said…”: Robert Downey Jr’s Co-star Was Utterly “Frustrated” While Working on Iron Man For One Reason That Could’ve Ruined the Film
- Iron Monger actor Jeff Bridges recently appeared on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast to talk about his journey in Hollywood to date and his experience working with Marvel on their landmark project.
- The Big Lebowski actor goes on to say how he calmed himself down with pep talks and made it through the movie because he knew there was a greater vision involved.
- Iron Man is notorious for being made on strict deadlines without a proper script in hand.
Iron Man is where it all began. The bright vision of the Marvel Cinematic Universe started taking shape from the 2008 blockbuster that showed the studio the immense potential of superhero movies that could be woven into a larger web of narratives. With Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, and Jeff Bridges leading the star cast, the terrific story delighted fans worldwide.
It established the central hero around whom the subsequent stories revolved. Then came along Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, and many more. But the path to materializing Iron Man as a film was no easy feat.
Jeff Bridges shares his frustration in making Iron Man
Making Iron Man into the success it is was a tough task. Marvel was still figuring out its direction whereas Jon Favreau was rewriting the script on a regular basis. Iron Monger actor Jeff Bridges recently appeared on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast to talk about his journey in Hollywood to date and his experience working with Marvel on their landmark project.
He shares how the direction of the story had to be reworked so often that the actors were left in a daze as to where their character was supposed to go. Bridges said,
The day before, the Marvel folks said oh no no this can’t be the way it is and we had to write the scenes that we were doing that day just that morning. We’d go into one of our trailers and call friends and say here’s what happens he goes here you got ideas that kind of thing. I remember being so frustrated as an actor I like to be prepared and on my line and I finally made this little adjustment that made all the difference.
The Big Lebowski actor goes on to say how he calmed himself down with pep talks and made it through the movie because he knew there was a greater vision involved. Moreover, he could not stop gushing about Robert Downey Jr., who gave it all to the role for over a decade. The movie would not have been the same without the dedicated efforts of such actors who learn how to go with the flow and mold themselves at a moment’s notice.
Creative Differences almost ruined the Marvel movie
As Bridges explained in the interview, there were various forces at play when it came to producing and releasing Iron Man, the juncture where the MCU began. While directors and writers had a vision in mind, the Marvel studio intervened with something completely different. This lack of creative freedom truly hindered the crew from giving their best to the project.
The movie is notorious for being made on strict deadlines without a proper script in hand. Changes were made every single day which actors had to adapt to instantaneously. Moreover, this also affected the sequel as Iron Man 2 faced similar issues with more recasts, rewrites, and reshoots.
Kevin Feige has made significant changes and streamlined the process to the tee to make sure future projects don’t suffer a similar fate. Marvel has a bright future ahead with more diverse movies and shows now that the mutants are considered canon in the MCU.
Iron Man is streaming on Disney+.
