Robert Downey Jr. startled Ryan Reynolds and the screenwriters for Deadpool & Wolverine by declining a cameo as Iron Man in the summer blockbuster.

The Oscar-winning actor’s decision became clearer as it was announced he will play a new character in the Marvel universe.

Screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick intended to introduce Deadpool & Wolverine with a sequence featuring Downey’s Iron Man/ Tony Stark and Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan, but he declined the offer.

‘We wanted him to make a cameo. Wernick told People that the sequence was initially created with Happy and Downey.

Reese claimed that Reynolds, 47, had’read the scene with both of them, so in the hopes we could get Downey.’

Ryan Reynolds and the screenwriters were surprised by Robert Downey, Jr.’s choice to forgo a cameo in Deadpool and Wolverine. The explanation for the decision was revealed one day after the film’s release on July 26.

The reason became evident when it was announced at Comic-Con in San Diego on July 27 that the former superhero would play Victor von Doom (better known as Doctor Doom) in two upcoming Avengers films.

Ryan pressed him hard. We wrote scenarios, and Downey read them, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was this Doctor Doom thing,” Wernick explained.

Favreau filmed the sequence with Reynolds’ Wade Wilson at the beginning of the film, which was similar to the writers’ initial vision.

“Jon was, graciously, connected to it from the beginning. “It worked out great,” they said.

‘We would have delighted to have Downey. But, at the same time, I believe Marvel had an ace in the hole: he’s about to return in a different identity,’ Rheese remarked.

‘So, to have him as Tony Stark? Knowing that Doctor Doom would follow shortly after? It simply didn’t make sense.

The actor will play the supervillain in the fifth and sixth Avengers flicks, dubbed Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Both films will be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who previously directed Avengers: Endgame in 2019 and murdered off Downey’s Iron Man to save the universe.

Reynolds thanked Favreau in an ecstatic message on social media Thursday.

The actor announced he would star as Victor von Doom in two upcoming Marvel movies; Avengers: Doomsday, and Avengers: Secret Wars,  at Comic-Con in San Diego July 27

According to screenwriters Rhett Rheese and Paul Wernick, Reynolds gave Downey ‘heavy press’.We wrote scenes, and Downey read them, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was the Doctor Doom stuff. Wernick said:

Jon Favreau made an appearance as Happy Hogan. Reynolds commented on Instagram, “The movie benefitted from his incredible performance, but we got something more important: his generosity of time and energy to talk story and brainstorm larger themes and ideas.” He was pictured in London in April 2023.

‘Jon is one of the greatest. Yes, the film benefited from his outstanding performance, but we also gained something more valuable: his willingness to discuss the tale and debate wider issues and ideas.

According to Box Office Mojo, as of August 8, the action adventure had made more over $440 million domestically and another $484 million worldwide, totaling nearly $1 billion in global box office revenue.

If the film’s current popularity continues, it might easily cross the billion-dollar milestone by the end of the August 9-11 weekend.