Iron Man: Ranking All Of Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU Performances From Worst To Best
Which performance is truly the best?
*SPOILERS AHEAD FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME... AND LIKE EVERY OTHER MARVEL MOVIE THAT IRON MAN HAS EVER BEEN IN*
Now that the dust has had a chance to settle and the previous box office records are nothing but broken shards laying at Avengers: Endgame's feet, it's time to talk about something very important: the legacy of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark.
Endgame served as the finale of one long arc for Downey's Tony Stark that played out across multiple films and sub-franchises over the course of eleven years, an almost unparalleled accomplishment for an actor. In starting the role, ending it, and everything in between, Downey undoubtedly left his mark on the MCU and pop culture as a whole. It will be a long time before anybody else even thinks about attempting to don that goatee again.
So as a memoriam of sorts for Downey as Tony Stark, let's take a stroll down memory lane and revisit all ten of his various appearances and performances as the character in the MCU. Whether he was becoming the first superhero in the MCU, serving as something of an antagonist in another character's film, or simply appearing as a supporting character to help bolster another actor/character, Downey delivered consistently incredible performances.
10. The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk is often a very overlooked installment in the MCU, so let's make one thing clear: it's kind of great.
It takes the formula of the classic Incredible Hulk television series from the '70s and applies it to the modern day blockbuster, crafting a thrilling installment that just also happens to feature some standout performances from Tim Roth, William Hurt, and Ed Norton. All of this to say, the only reason it comes in last here is because of the sheer brevity of Robert Downey Jr.'s performance.
Showing up at the tail end of the film, in a scene that feels like it would now be delegated to a post-credits stinger, Downey comes waltzing in to speak with General Ross about his problems and how he has a possible solution. It's a brief appearance from Downey as Stark but Downey is clearly having a ball. This was shot before the release of the first Iron Man, so there was still every chance of all of this going bottoms-up at the box office, and you can see that hunger for success still in Downey's eyes here.
It may be small but Downey does the absolute most he can with it.