Robert Downey Jr. had turned down a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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IndieWire’s interview with co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick reveals that the Deadpool team initially planned a scene where Wade Wilson auditions for the Avengers, featuring Downey’s Stark alongside Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan.
Reese shared that Ryan Reynolds envisioned a sequence where Stark delivers a biting rejection to Wade, similar to what ended up on screen but with Stark and Hogan together. “Ryan Reynolds wrote the scene with both of them in mind, hoping we could get Downey,” Reese noted.
Despite Downey reading through the scenes and showing interest, he decided against participating. The real twist came from Marvel’s SDCC 2024 panel, where it was revealed Downey would return not as Stark but as Doctor Doom in the MCU. With Downey set to embody the iconic villain Victor Von Doom, the logistics of juggling two major roles made a Stark cameo tricky, and the scene was ultimately reworked to feature just Favreau.
Robert Downey Jr. Skipped Deadpool & Wolverine For The Doctor Doom Twist and Unused Avengers Gags
Robert Downey Jr.’s absence from Deadpool & Wolverine wasn’t just a missed opportunity—it was a strategic move. According to co-writer Rhett Reese, “Marvel had this ace in their hole, which is he’s about to come back in this different character.” Downey’s future role as Doctor Doom made it tricky to include him as Tony Stark in the film.
Co-writer Paul Wernick revealed that while they were unaware of Downey’s Doom casting during the Deadpool work, they had some wild ideas. An early concept had all the Avengers rejecting Wade Wilson, leading to a hilarious Deadpool rant. Another gag involved Peter casually lifting Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, in the background—though scheduling issues kept it from happening.
Despite these fan-service moments missing from the final cut, the film still delivered with cameos from Wesley Snipes’ Blade and Jennifer Garner’s Elektra.
