The Unmade Iron Man: The Story of Gough and Millar's Abandoned Project
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, known for creating the hit show "Smallville," faced challenges with their 2011 "Charlie's Angels" TV series and an abandoned "Iron Man" movie project. Studios often interfere with creative projects, sometimes positively, like Disney's influence on "Toy Story," or negatively, as seen in the troubled production of "Alien 3." Gough and Millar's "Iron Man" script was halted when a New Line executive suggested removing Iron Man's ability to fly, leading to the project's demise.
"Iron Man" revolutionized superhero movies in 2008, with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and Jon Favreau directing. The character's journey to the big screen began in the 1990s when Universal acquired the film rights, eventually landing with New Line. Gough and Millar were brought in to write the script after their success with "Spider-Man 2." Despite initial unfamiliarity with Iron Man, they were intrigued by the character's complexity and unique traits.
During a meeting with Marvel Studios' Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, and New Line's Robert Shaye, Gough and Millar faced a bizarre suggestion that Iron Man should not fly but leap between buildings like Superman. This odd directive, along with Tom Cruise's potential involvement, led to the project's cancellation. Marvel later regained the rights and produced the successful 2008 film, which Gough praised for staying true to the character.
Before Robert Downey Jr. took on the role of Iron Man, Tom Cruise was offered the part but declined, citing discomfort with the character. The eventual success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the iconic portrayal of Iron Man by Downey Jr. validated the decision to wait for the right actor and creative team.