Was Robert Downey Jr. inspired by Tobey Maguire? The Iron Man star reveals how Spider-Man inspired him to try out for the Marvel universe.
The tale of Robert Downey Jr. becoming Iron Man is one that’s been told countless times. How an actor at the end of his rope redeemed himself as one of the biggest movie stars of all time. However, it seems a surprising voice had a role in his choice, as the Marvel star revealed it was spending time with Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire that convinced him to audition.
“In real-time, I saw how difficult they were, how rewarding they could be, and how popular [comic book films] were becoming,” Downey told The Hollywood Reporter about the time he spent with Maguire. “I had been clean long enough…hungry even longer and I could feel [the] obsession coming back with manifesting the best version of myself.”
“I had strangely been furiously strength training six times a week before I even knew [this role] was coming, and my shrink had told me ‘Just start acting like something great is gonna happen and get ready for it’”
Given how much fans have wanted Tobey Maguire to meet Robert Downey Jr. on the silver screen, it’s almost poetic that the Spider-Man star was the one to push the needle for him to try out for the role of Iron Man. And now with Maguire returning to his role in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Downey back in the MCU, the likelihood of that dream becoming a reality is greater than ever.
Could Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man Finally Meet Iron Man?
Marvel is taking the next phase of the MCU in a drastically new direction with Robert Downey Jr. trading out his role as Iron Man for one as Doctor Doom. This means almost anything is possible as the studio tries to find their footing. However, signs suggest that the next Avengers movie could see Tobey Maguire crossing paths with the beloved actor as Spider-Man.
Early rumors suggests that Marvel wants Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine to helm the final installment of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, which Robert Downey Jr. now seems to be the villain of. If that were to happen, it wouldn’t be shocking if the actor played double duty and took on the role of Iron Man along with that of Doctor Doom. Though for now, that’s all simply speculation as the studio changes course.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters in May 2026. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
