Marvel fans outraged over Iron Man on Twitter

Marvel fans have made their real opinions about Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Iron Man known.

Robert Downey Jr. is to Tony Stark what Adam West and Michael Keaton are to Batman and Christopher Reeves is to Superman. But while those legendary characters also have some other incredible performances from great actors to vie for the definitive title, Robert Downey Jr. stands alone as the single most definitive portrayal of Iron Man.

The truth is that he is and always will be synonymous with Iron Man, simply because of how he essentially put the character on the map – a character that, unlike say Batman and Superman, was not a household name before the veteran actor brought him to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, a recent tweet from The Sunday Times sparked a viral outrage in regards to the response to RDJ’s performance of Iron Man and the legacy that it boasts.

Marvel fans defend Robert Downey Jr.’s legendary Iron Man

Publishing an interview with actor Matt Damon in which the veteran performer suggested the days of the “leading man” in Hollywood are over, The Sunday Times uses Iron Man as an example, claiming that “almost anyone with wit” could have played the titular hero because “the character is more important to audiences than the actor”.

Naturally, Marvel fans were not happy with the article as many of them took to social media to share their thoughts, rightfully reminding everyone how Robert Downey Jr. turned a less popular comic book character into arguably the most famous movie superhero of the last decade.

Others were quick to point out how irreplaceable RDJ’s portrayal of Iron Man is, especially in relation to the franchise it belongs to.

There is also the fact that Robert Downey Jr. has the right level of charisma to ensure that Tony’s often-arrogant persona was portrayed in an endearing way that never made him unlikeable.

Yes, it’s clear that the character of Iron Man owes as much to Robert Downey Jr. as the actor does to the beloved character because he single-handedly turned him into a star – something that very little people could have done. And that is why the Marvel Comics hero could not have been played by “almost anyone with wit”.

Do you think Robert Downey Jr. is the definitive Iron Man? Could anyone else play the MCU hero? Let us know in the comments below!