Will Ferrell and Ty Burrell Snatched Two Major Roles From Robert Downey Jr., Started Working On Iron Man And Sherlock Holmes Instead
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most promising actors in Hollywood, with an outstanding filmography. After more than a decade in the film industry, he is celebrated for his unforgettable portrayals of characters like Iron Man, which was his career breakthrough, as well as his standout performances as Sherlock Holmes, Lewis Strauss of Oppenheimer, and many more. Because of his incredible success in the entertainment world, it’s indeed possible that he had to decline or miss out on some fascinating roles in his career. In fact, the actor who almost played two of Dreamwork’s iconic roles was replaced at the last minute due to his jam-packed schedule.
Robert Downey Jr. lost Megamind to Will Ferrell
Robert Downey Jr., who was cast to voice the titular anti-hero in Megamind (2010), was forced to pass on the role that eventually went to Will Ferrell. He even recorded a few lines, but he was forced to drop due to his conflicting schedules with his commitments to upcoming projects such as Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. It was originally Ben Stiller who was cast for Megamind before Robert Downey Jr., and later Stiller was instead cast in a minor role as the curator named Bernard. Renowned actor Brad Pitt also lent his voice to the character Metro Man who serves as the nemesis of Megamind.
Will Ferrell, who has a history of voice acting seemed to be a better choice for the role. While Downey’s version of Megamind couldn’t make it into the final cut, his recording is still available online. And his unseen supervillain performance is viewed as charismatic and entertaining.
The movie, Megamind is a superhero comedy produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Directed by Tom McGrath, the movie tells the story of a highly intelligent alien named Megamind who destroys his constant nemesis and, out of boredom, creates a superhero who will eventually become a threat to himself. Later on, Megamind will take up the superhero role to save the city from the villain.
Ty Burrell got cast as Mr. Peabody instead of Robert Downey Jr.
Similarly, Downey Jr., who was also chosen for the genius time-traveling dog Mr. Peabody in DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody and Sherman, was removed from the role. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Modern Family star, Ty Burrell was cast to fill Downey Jr.’s place, as due to various reasons, like scheduling conflicts and creative differences, Downey Jr. was forced to step down from the role.
Ty Burrell is famous for his roles in Dawn of the Dead (2004), National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and Doc Samson in The Incredible Hulk. Besides, the actor also garnered more than 39 awards, including more than 100 nominations for the iconic ABC sitcom Modern Family.
The 2014 animated movie, tells the story of an intelligent dog, Mr. Peabody, and its adopted son, Sherman, who take him on a time travel adventure through historical events. However, when Sherman’s action triggers an event, they work together to fix the timeline. Max Charles, the actor who plays young Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man, voiced Sherman.
