Tony Stark Was Nearly Written Out of Captain America: Civil War
A dispute over Robert Downey Jr.'s role led to an order to cut Iron Man from the script, until Kevin Feige pushed back
Movie Facts Pro (AI-assisted)7 November 2026Editor: Digital Fox Talent Editorial TeamOn YouTube since 2017 · more than 220,000 subscribers
Tony Stark was not supposed to be in Captain America: Civil War. The 2016 film starring Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. came close to losing Iron Man entirely.
Marvel initially wanted Robert Downey Jr. for only three weeks of work
Marvel initially wanted to hire Downey to play Tony Stark for only 3 weeks. That was a very small amount of work, enough for a few scenes. Downey wanted a much larger role, which would lead to a bigger payday.
The Marvel Entertainment CEO at the time was furious over the request. He ordered the screenwriters to write Tony Stark out of the script completely.
Kevin Feige pushed to keep Iron Man in Civil War
When the deal seemed like it wasn't going to happen, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige pushed to hire Downey. He argued that casting him could leave the door open for more sequels. It could also lead to new franchises and dramatic possibilities within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Feige knew Iron Man being in the movie would be a bigger draw for audiences, and I think that was the right idea. Downey's push for a bigger part in Civil War was a success.
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@moviefactsproyt · YouTube
Adapted with AI from Movie Facts Pro's video of 7 March 2025 and checked against the video before publication. Editorial standards · Corrections
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