Sometimes an actor will become so synonymous with one character or franchise that a mention of their name instantly makes you think about the movies from that universe. Speaking about Daniel Radcliffe brings nostalgic yearnings for elementary school screenings of Harry Potter. Harrison Ford’s name will conjure arguments of Indiana Jones vs. Han Solo. And when you talk about the greatness of Robert Downey Jr, you’re most likely going to think about the massive list of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films he has graced as the ingenious but emotionally scarred rich kid Tony Stark.
Iron Man is one of the most critical on-screen heroes ever because of Downey Jr.’s portrayal, but the MCU has also typecast the actor and cornered him into a genre that he may now want to start venturing out of. With Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Downey Jr. got to go the biopic route with fantastic results. We want to look at the 10 best Robert Downey Jr. movies, from his talented beginnings to his superhero stardom and everything in between.
11. Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
10. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
9. Short Cuts (1993)
8. Sherlock Holmes (2009)
7. Zodiac (2007)
6. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
5. Richard III (1995)
4. Chaplin (1992)
Seeing actors portray other actors is always a fascinating bit of irony, and RDJ absolutely knocked this role out of the park. Charlie Chaplin was the defining performer of the first half of the 20th century, and at this point in his career Downey Jr. was a rising star with much to prove. He embodied the life and career of Chaplin with eerie skill and incredible attention to detail. This was the performance that made people understand he was going to be a big deal
3. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
2. Oppenheimer (2023)
1. Iron Man (2008)
