Robert Downey Jr vs José Garcia: Why Marvel Paused This Crazy Project!

Starring in the comedy “Full Speed Ahead” releasing this Wednesday, José Garcia will soon feature in Jennifer Devoldère’s new movie, “The Flair,” where he plays a drama teacher reminiscent of Robin Williams in “Dead Poets Society.”

The film follows Colin (Joachim Arseguel), a stuttering teenager who is new to a school. His encounter with Mr. Devarseau (Garcia), a charismatic French teacher, encourages him to face his fears and break out of his isolation. Now Colin has a group of friends and a goal: to perform Cyrano in front of the entire school.

Robert Downey Jr and José Garcia on screen together?

During the release of this theater-adapted comedy, we had a chance to speak with José Garcia. Look for this interview soon on AlloCiné. We used this opportunity to ask García about his film project with his famous American lookalike, Robert Downey Jr, who is a year older than him.

When José Garcia had a minor role in Louis Leterrier’s “Now You See Me,” an American journalist even mistook the French actor for Robert Downey Jr.

Indeed, the French actor had previously mentioned a film project with the “Iron Man” star. However, no details were revealed, and they might never be…

We almost worked together, but he re-signed with Marvel.

José Garcia explains that Robert Downey Jr’s return to Marvel has put a damper on their discussions. “We had a project, we almost worked together, but he re-signed with Marvel so it won’t happen for now.” Pressed for more details about their interaction, José Garcia adds: “We haven’t met, we communicated through agents; there’s a protocol to follow in the United States.”

A Project Sidelined by Marvel

A movie that would finally pit the French Robert Downey Jr against the American José Garcia was considered but is currently paused.

To recall, last July, Marvel announced with much fanfare that the Iron Man actor, who disappeared at the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” would return as Dr. Doom in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Secret Wars.” Robert Downey Jr will this time side with the villains, portraying one of the most iconic super-villains of the Marvel franchise. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, Dr. Doom first appeared in the comic book Fantastic Four #5 in July 1962. He shares a common trait with Tony Stark, being a megalomaniacal scientific genius.

“Avengers: Doomsday” is set to release in theaters on April 29, 2026. With Robert Downey Jr signed for multiple films and involved in other projects, including a remake of “Vertigo,” the likelihood of the film with José Garcia materializing remains uncertain. However, the mere fact that such a project was discussed is thrilling for fans of both actors.