Robert Downey Jr. the lead role, member of an ensemble cast, or in a cameo. Each of these films, with the exception of "The Incredible Hulk", has grossed over $500 million at the box office worldwide; four of these—"The Avengers", "", "Iron Man 3" and ""—earned over $1 billion, while "" earned over $2 billion. Downey has also played the title character in Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" (2009), which earned him his second Golden Globe win, and (2011), both of which have earned over $500 million at the box office worldwide. As of 2018, the U.S. domestic box-office grosses of Downey's films total
Iron Man (2008 film) the star, the superhero is the star. The success of "X-Men" and "Spider-Man" without being star-driven pieces reassures [executives] that the film does have an upside commercially." However, in September 2006, Robert Downey, Jr. was cast in the role. Favreau chose Downey, a fan of the comic, because he felt the actor's past made him an appropriate choice for the part, explaining "The best and worst moments of Robert's life have been in the public eye. He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That's Tony Stark." Favreau faced opposition from Marvel