Robert Downey Jr. made a dig at the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) during his acceptance speech at the 2024 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards ceremony.
The 58-year-old was accepting the Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of villainous politician Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s highly lauded drama, “Oppenheimer.” Downey Jr. referenced the difference in this role compared to his best-known role as Tony Stark in the MCU.
“I played a guy named Tony in the MCU for about 12 years,” he said from the stage “Recently, [Nolan] suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last-ditch effort to perhaps resurrect my dwindling credibility.”
The Golden Globe-winning actor made multiple appearances as Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, between 2008 and 2019, playing the character in the “Iron Man” trilogy and all four “Avengers” films. He’s credited with helping make Marvel into a money-making machine.
Downey Jr. told The New York Times in 2023 that he’d been nervous about taking on the demanding “Oppenheimer” part due to the types of movies he’d been in previously.
“You start to wonder if a muscle you have hasn’t atrophied,” the actor told the outlet at the time. “I knew there was a point where Chris Nolan was endorsing, let’s work those other muscles, but let’s do it while rendering you devoid of your usual go-to things,” Downey Jr. added.
His remarks come on the heels of several high-profile superhero movie flops. This genre churned out massive hits for years, but recent releases have underperformed, leaving industry insiders wondering if audiences are sick of superhero films in general.
In November, the female-led film “The Marvels” earned just $47 million domestically over opening weekend, making it the lowest-ever opening for a Marvel movie. And it’s not just the MCU suffering. “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” was yet another box office disappointment for comic book films, bringing in just over $40 million over the extended four-day Christmas holiday weekend.
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“Captain America: A Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” and “Blade” were all originally slated for 2024 but are being pushed to 2025. This is being blamed on strike-related production delays but could also be the result of poor box office numbers for similar movies.
The only Marvel release scheduled for 2024 is “Deadpool 3.” Upcoming DC projects include “Joker: Folie á Deux,” which will debut in November 2024, and “Superman: Legacy,” which will hit theaters in July 2025.