Avengers 5 reportedly prevents Robert Downey Jr. as God in Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey"
The Marvel star is said to have been offered the role of Poseidon
The cast of Christopher Nolan's next film "The Odyssey" is already bursting at the seams. One Hollywood star after another has been announced in recent months. Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman claims to have learned that Nolan would have liked to have another absolute superstar in his ranks: Robert Downey Jr.
It would have been the second collaboration between the two Hollywood legends. The two worked together more than successfully for "Oppenheimer" back in 2023. The film won the Oscar for Best Picture and Downey Jr. was named Best Supporting Actor.
Robert Downey Jr. as Poseidon?
For "The Odyssey", the "Iron Man" actor is said to have been offered the role of the Greek god Poseidon. According to Richtman, however, the actor had to turn it down. The reason for this: due to his involvement in the next "Avengers" film, a role in "The Odyssey" would not be feasible in terms of time.
As most people will already know, Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU for the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday". However, he will not be appearing in his former role as Iron Man, but as the antagonist Dr. Doom. As we have already reported, according to Captain America actor Anthony Mackie, filming is set to begin in March 2025 and will continue into the summer in London.
Production on "The Odyssey" has also recently started. Accordingly, filming of the two blockbusters will take place at least partly at the same time. This information therefore fits in with the insider information from Daniel Richtman.
But even without Robert Downey Jr. the cast of "The Odyssey" is of course more than impressive. Among others are: "Dune" and "Challengers" star Zendaya, "Spiderman" leading man Tom Holland, "Mad Max: Fury Road" actress Charlize Theron and Matt Damon in the lead role as Odysseus.
There is still some time to go before Robert Downey Jr. can be seen in "Avengers: Doomsday": the film is due to be released on May 1, 2026. Until then, one or two more Marvel productions will be released. You can get an overview here in our big MCU preview.
The most important MCU films with Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. is undoubtedly one of the best-known and most popular actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Since his first role as Tony Stark in "Iron Man" (2008), he has made a decisive mark on the character and the MCU. Downey Jr. embodied the brilliant but arrogant billionaire and inventor for years and played a central role in the creation and success of the MCU.
Iron Man
The first "Iron Man" film that launched the MCU is the beginning of Robert Downey Jr's iconic career as Tony Stark. As a billionaire arms dealer who decides to use his technology for good after a kidnapping and a dramatic experience in Afghanistan, Tony Stark sets the course for his later role as a superhero. Downey Jr's charisma, humor and ability to show both the arrogant and vulnerable side of Tony Stark made the film a huge success and laid the foundation for the MCU.
The Avengers
In "The Avengers", Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) unites the greatest superheroes, including Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), to battle the overpowering threat Loki (Tom Hiddleston). The film marked the first major crossover in the MCU and was a huge success, taking the development of the universe to the next level.
Captain America: Civil War
"Captain America: Civil War" represents a decisive turning point in the MCU. In this movie, the ideals of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) collide when a superhero registration law divides the Avengers. Tony, who is in favor of the legislation, and Steve, who fights against government interference, clash.
Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame
The two "Avengers" films from 2018 and 2019 mark the epic finale of the first major era of the MCU. In "Infinity War", the Avengers face the greatest threat in their history: Thanos (Josh Brolin), who wants to collect all the Infinity Stones with the aim of destroying the universe. Tony Stark plays a key role in combating this threat, and Downey Jr. delivers one of his best performances. In "Endgame", the story is finally brought to an emotional climax as the Avengers undertake time travel to retrieve the lost stones in a desperate attempt to defeat Thanos. The movie culminates in a dramatic and painful moment for Tony Stark.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
In "Spider-Man: Homecoming", Tony Stark acts as a mentor to Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and helps him realize his potential as a superhero. Robert Downey Jr's appearance in this movie is a kind of passing of the baton from an older hero to a younger one. His dynamic relationship with Peter brings a special aspect to the movie.
