It is hard to imagine anybody other than Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark but there was a time when Marvel auditioned other actors to play the comic book hero in the 2008 film. One of those actors just happened to be Timothy Olyphant. The Mandalorian star has finally opened up about trying out for the role of Iron Man. He also admitted that he was "scared to death" of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Timothy Olyphant has already played several memorable roles in his long career. Most recently, he impressed Star Wars fans when he portrayed Cobb Vanth in The Mandalorian Season 2. Still, there was a time when he wasn't a part of a major franchise and Olyphant almost joined the MCU right when it was just starting out.
In an interview with Binge Worthy podcast prior to the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike, Olyphant discussed his failed attempt to win the role of Tony Stark in Jon Favreau's film. He shared his initial fears about the franchise but ultimately thought he would enjoy taking on the lead role.
“I can only tell you that I remember thinking that was the first time where, because I’m a bit of a slow learner and I think I was scared to death of the things that come with success in this business, but that was the time where I remember thinking, ‘Well, I can’t get any more grounded and so [auditioning for Iron Man] would be fun," Olyphant said.
Although it didn't work out for Olyphant then, that doesn't mean Iron Man director Jon Favreau forgot about him. The creator of The Mandalorian, whom Olyphant says is "just a good dude," later cast him in the show's second season. With regards to the new role, Olyphant says that Favreau "doesn't owe me anything."
For now, it is not yet confirmed whether Cobb Vanth will return in the third season of The Mandalorian or in any of the Star Wars shows. However, fans believe that we haven't seen the last of the Marshal just yet. In the meantime, Olyphant's latest film Havoc is expected to premiere later this year.
