Robert Downey Jr. Unknowingly Turned Down a Top Sci-Fi Movie 13 Years Ago!

In 2013, the film “Gravity” hit theaters and the impact was absolutely monumental. No one was prepared for the sci-fi slap delivered by Alfonso Cuarón at the peak of his powers!

The story introduces us to Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant biomedical engineer played by Sandra Bullock. On her first space mission, she is accompanied by the seasoned astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) during a routine spacewalk.

However, their mission takes a disastrous turn when a debris storm destroys their space shuttle. Stranded in the vast emptiness, without communication with Earth and with limited oxygen supplies, they must fight against fear and despair.

Faced with such a relentless and hostile environment, every decision becomes crucial to their survival. As their chances of rescue dwindle, Ryan Stone must dig deep into her resources in hopes of making it back to Earth. It’s an intense battle where courage, resilience, and survival instincts are her only allies.

Iron Man in Space

In March 2010, when filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón announced the casting for the sci-fi film, he mentioned Robert Downey Jr. for the role of Matt Kowalsky. Fresh off the success of Iron Man, the actor was making a Hollywood comeback after a long hiatus.

But why was he replaced by George Clooney a few months later? The man behind Tony Stark revealed his reasons during a 2022 interview with Howard Stern. “Eventually, everyone ends up where they’re meant to be,” began Robert Downey Jr.

“I got involved early in the development process. I don’t think Angelina Jolie was attached to the project at that time,” the actor noted, recalling that his colleague was considered for the role that eventually went to Sandra Bullock.

“Alfonso Cuarón and I really hit it off,” continued the actor. “But you told the director you didn’t like working in confined spaces?” Howard Stern prodded.

Robert Downey Jr. Bows Out

“I went to test the new multi-spherical camera system they were using for all the special effects. About 20 minutes into the test, I asked: This is crazy, how much longer? They said: Two to four more hours,” RDJ recalled.

“I responded: That’s not going to be possible. You have to know your limits and leave before you snap,” the actor justified. “Clooney and Sandra Bullock each made about 70 million dollars from this film,” Howard Stern pointed out.

That’s not going to be possible. You have to know your limits and leave before you snap.

“At the time, no one knew it was going to be that huge. Anyone of us can have anything, but you can’t have everything,” concluded Robert Downey Jr., who stands by his decision and has no regrets. Indeed, at the time, he had secured the coveted role of Iron Man, and would soon become one of the world’s highest-paid actors.

In 2013, Alfonso Cuarón also justified his first choice’s departure. “It was clear that the technology used to shoot Gravity wasn’t the most compatible with Robert’s style. He takes over the scene and improvises nearly every bit. Given the technology we were using, it limited him. We had to pre-program the film before shooting,” he stated at the San Diego Comic-Con.

If you want to (re)watch Gravity, the film is available on the HBO Max platform.