Robert Downey Jr Rewrites Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr. takes his role in the Iron Man franchise very seriously, so it should come as no surprise that the actor has become an integral part of the rewriting process. According to Yahoo, Downey worked actively alongside director Jon Favreau on the rewrites for the sequel to the 2007 Marvel hit.

The screenplay for Iron Man 2 was written by actor/writer Justin Theroux so are we really shocked that another actor wanted to put in his two scents on the script? Favreau recently told Empire Magazine about Downey’s dedication to the character and the film.

“Robert is a real partner in the process. He’s been very involved in the screenplay. When he went away to do Sherlock Holmes he was still part of our creative process. Even in the first film, where he was originally a hired gun playing the role, he really stepped up to rewrite scenes – he’s a great writer, too. So we really are sharing the responsibilities.”

Downey himself claims that if he has an instinctual feeling about something he follows it, and when it comes to the character of Tony Stark he knows him like the back of his hand.

“I have fortified my belief that if I have a creative instinct about something, usually it’s not because I’ve had too much coffee or because I’m bored – it’s because I sense there’s something there. And it’s always mind-blowing when you follow a hunch and realise it’s exactly what the movie wanted.”

This wouldn’t be the first time an actor got in on some rewrite action, especially with a comic book movie. Let’s not forget about Edward Norton‘s infamous part as actor, writer, and partial editor of last year’s The Incredible Hulk. That movie turned out to be pretty decent with his creative influence. As long as the actor doesn’t put themselves in front of the character everything should be fine. We’ll see the final product of Iron Man 2 when it hits theaters on May 7, 2010.

What do you think of Downey helping with the rewrites for Iron Man 2?