[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaPTEIx3BTI]
Iron Man director Jon Favreau maintains that Marvel—the media group that owns the rights to the character—was rather against the hiring of Downey, telling him outright: “”Under no circumstances are we prepared to hire him for any price.” Favreau lobbied hard for the actor (whom he felt “understood what makes the character tick”)—and made Downey almost as Rich as Tony Stark.