Though it is only Robert Downey Jr.’s first film since officially leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the failure of Dolittle might set the stage for RDJ to return as Iron Man sooner rather than later. With last year’s Avengers: Endgame supposedly marking the end of Tony Stark’s extensive and celebrated cinematic journey, Downey Jr. began an unprecedented chapter in his career. In fact, it is an unprecedented step in any actor’s career. Sure, a lot of performers have faced the uphill battle of having to overcoming the fame and attachment that comes with being in a successful franchise – consider the varying degrees of success experienced by the careers of Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill following Star Wars – but it has never been to the scale of Robert Downey Jr. attempting to overcome the weight of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It would be unfair to assume that the actor’s first role post-Endgame would come close to being the critical and commercial success that the Russo Brothers’ film was. On top of being an international phenomenon, the closing chapter of the MCU’s third phase surpassed Avatar to become the highest-grossing movie of all time. But even so, a relaunch of the Doctor Dolittle franchise felt a bit of an odd place to start. Directed by Stephen Gaghan and inspired by Hugh Lofting’s 1922 children’s book The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, the film is hoisted by Downey Jr.’s onscreen charisma as well as an extensive voice cast of CGI animals, including Tom Holland, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, and John Cena, among many others.
But even with all of that name recognition, Dolittle is not projected to do very well at the box office. Following the film’s critical bashing, the movie is only projected to earn $16.9 million in its opening weekend. With that sort of dismal projection, Dolittle could very well turn out to be the first big-budget bomb of the decade. But how could that turn into a Tony Stark revival?
Robert Downey Jr. Is Most Well Known For Iron Man
It is no secret that the role of Iron Man was a distinctly important chapter in both Robert Downey Jr.’s career, as well as his life. Towards the end of the 20th century and turning the corner into the 21st, the actor was infamously caught in a pattern of substance abuse, arrests, rehab, and relapse. It wasn’t until the actor was facing another prison sentence in the spring of 2001 that he decided to be strictly proactive about his lifestyle. From there, he started to bounce back into the Hollywood scene, starring and getting recognized for his work in Zodiac, Gothika, and even the poorly received Disney remake The Shaggy Dog.
By the mid-2000s, Downey Jr. had yet to appear in a major blockbuster role. But all of that changed in 2008, when he starred and was acclaimed in two mega productions: the satirical black comedy Tropic Thunder and, of course, Jon Favreau’s Iron Man. While the Ben Stiller comedy earned Downey Jr. his second Academy Award nomination, it was Iron Man that resonated most with audiences, launching the entertainment industry into a new chapter of its own.
Over the ensuing years, the prominence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Tony Stark grew extensively. After appearing in seven other MCU films, the Iron Man character was not only a cherished part of the franchise, but perhaps its most centered character. His story arc was arguably given the most attention – or at least, the most screen time – so by the time the once selfish entrepreneur sacrificed himself at the end of Avengers: Endgame, completing his cyclical and humanistic journey, audiences were boggled and heartbroken by the film’s satisfying beauty. After all of that, Robert Downey Jr is Iron Man.
RDJ’s Career Outside Of The MCU Is Good, But Not Great
It is difficult for any actor to overcome the notoriety that comes with working on a Marvel movie. Even supporting actors with otherwise massive careers – be it Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Bridges, or Tilda Swinton – cannot escape the association with their work at Marvel Studios. Unlike some of those actors, however, Robert Downey Jr.’s career outside of the MCU is not comparable to his work inside the MCU, in terms of entertainment, commercial, and critical value.
Arguably the biggest and most recognizable character RDJ has played outside of Iron Man would be the titular detective of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies. Starring alongside Jude Law, the two Sherlock Holmes movies were favorably accepted by fans and critics, who appreciated the films’ gothic aesthetic and unique visual style. And both films even earned a hefty gross, each making over $500 million at the international box office.
Outside of those two movies, RDJ’s career has been reserved almost exclusively to the Iron Man story arc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, his last character film outside of Tony Stark was that of Hank Palmer in the Oscar-bait drama The Judge in 2014.
Dolittle Failure Could Mean RDJ’s Return To The MCU
Undoubtedly, 11 years is a long time to commit to one character/franchise. It’s among the longest stints an actor has given to any one role, and so begs the question of what if he struggles to make the jump to life outside of Iron Man?
This isn’t to deny Robert Downey Jr. of his dramatic acting abilities. His turns in the aforementioned David Fincher film Zodiac, as well as Chaplin and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are all perfect examples of the actor’s charm and charisma seeping into other character roles for pleasing results. However, even though Dolittle has the legacy of Eddie Murphy’s comedies behind it, it’s been a long time since RDJ has had to work on a project without a guaranteed audience. And again, it doesn’t look like the seats are going to be filled.
It’s also worth mentioning that both RDJ and his wife Susan are producers on Dolittle, meaning that if the film flops, the finances will hurt the Downey family directly. This isn’t to say that the MCU hasn’t provided Robert Downey Jr. with a very comfortable purse (the actor reportedly made $75 million for both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame), but any actor can’t help but be tempted by the guaranteed paycheck provided by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Downey Jr has said Iron Man could return to the MCU. With the door seemingly wide open, don’t be surprised if he considers walking through it if and when Dolittle flops.
More: Why Robert Downey Jr.‘S First Post MCU Role Is Dr. Dolittle
- Doctor Dolittle Release Date: 2020-01-17
