Top 10 Unscripted Robert Downey Jr Moments That Were Left in the Movie

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 unscripted Robert Downey Jr. moments that were left in the movie. For this list, we're looking at all those catchy one-liners and scene-stealing moments that were reportedly ad-libbed, improvised, or simply omitted from the words of the book, but still uttered on-screen by the Academy Award-nominated superstar. Hysterical or poignant, we'll be including moments that were added in because of RDJ's tendency to wander from the script, so heads up, there will be spoilers. Agree? Disagree? Prefer kiss-kiss to bang-bang? Sound off in the comments below. When the trailer for the first Marvel Studios-produced Spider-Man solo outing dropped, aptly named Homecoming, in addition to the promise of more web-slinging antics, we were treated to a laugh or two via Stark and Parker's banter. In particular, there's the moment where Peter reciprocates a hug, only to find Tony is getting the car door for him. It's not a hug, I'm just grabbing the door for you. We're not, we're not there yet. It's a micro-scene that defines the relationship between the characters extremely succinctly, and left viewers wanting more. Yet, according to Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland, it was completely off-script, as was much of the scene between the two. Well, that was actually an improvised moment, you know, a lot of that scene was really entirely improvised, we kind of really riffed off each other. Their riffing off each other is a running dynamic between the two actors, and a lesson to many up-and-comers. I think I just tried to hug him, I just thought it would be funny if I hugged him, and Robert's instincts are so good that he was like, oh, I'm not trying to hug you, I'm just gonna get the door. Number 9. Improvisation, my dear Watson. The Sherlock Holmes Franchise. I forgot the rest. Oh, it's coming back now. According to Arthur Conan Doyle, if you eliminate the script, all that remains, however improvised, must be the movie. Okay, so, we actually RDJ'd that particular quote. We're not pinpointing an exact moment here, since ad-libbing was such a big part of the production. Have you actually read the book? I found it compelling. Meanwhile, the witty repartee and naturalistic comedy between Holmes and Watson in the Guy Ritchie-directed franchise is a testament to two main factors, the real-life friendship between Downey Jr. and co-star Jude Law, as well as the spontaneity of the leading man on set. I agree, it's not my best disguise, but let's make do. According to Downey Jr., improvisation on set is, quote, a democracy in the truest and most frustrating and most rewarding sense of the word. Moriarty actor Jared Harris reportedly had to adjust to the loose use of the script as, quote, an exercise in trial by fire. But it paid off. The scenes between the two nemeses are electric. Number 8. Calling an Audible, Captain America Civil War. Oh, Mr. Parker. Um, what? What are you doing? Hey, um, I'm, I'm, I'm Peter. Tony. When Tom Holland was announced as the new Spider-Man, replacing Andrew Garfield after less than two years off-screen, fans were eager to see how the young actor would fit, especially with a cast that was already brimming with established stars. Holland, at the time gaining a rather firm step into Hollywood but still relatively unknown, was paired with the veteran RDJ. During the initial encounter between Tony Stark and Peter Parker, the former tells the young superhero to move the leg so he can sit down. I'm gonna sit here so you move the leg. Typical. Though we love him, Stark can be arrogant. And this is just another indication of that, right? Except it was more that Holland forgot his blocking, so RDJ corrected him both in character and as an actor, then continued the scene. I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that. Number 7. Blueberry, The Avengers. His secrets have secrets. It's bugging him too, isn't it? Tony Stark loves his food, whether it's cheeseburgers in Iron Man 1, donuts in Iron Man 2, or blueberries on the helicarrier in The Avengers. Even if Fartin didn't tell Loki about the tower, it was still all over the news. The Stark Tower. The last one, however, gains a distinction by being less of a character choice and more of an actor being mischievous. The moment where Stark offers his fellow Avenger a blueberry was not in the script, nor was the act of even eating them. Apparently, RDJ was simply hungry and managed to smuggle a packet of fruit on set and hide them in the elaborate lab design. Then as cameras rolled, he tucked in. And since it seemed like such a Tony Stark thing to do, it remained in the film. In a few hours, I'll know every dirty secret S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever tried to hide. Blueberry? Number 6. I Love You 3000. Avengers Endgame. We have to address it. The moment that broke everyone's hearts. I Love You 3000. Yes, there are rumors about much deeper meanings relating to the overall runtime of Marvel movies, but that's just a coincidence. During Avengers Endgame, while Tony puts Morgan to bed, he tells her that he loves her tons, which is how it was written in the screenplay. The same script was supposed to have Morgan say the same in return. However, to add a little naturalness into the scene, Downey Jr. suggested the new line based on how his own children reply to him in real life. The result is an amusing exchange between Pepper and Tony in the following scene. A finale line in floods of tears. Number 5. Peek-A-Boo! I See You. Tropic Thunder. Just like much of the rest of the movie they're filming in the action comedy, the real-life actors of Tropic Thunder took a lot of liberties with the script. So much so that to describe the screenplay as anything more than a general set of scenarios might be going somewhat overboard. Robert Downey Jr.'s Kirk Lazarus is probably a character that moviegoers will never see the likes of again. Lazarus underwent a controversial pigmentation alteration procedure in order to play the platoon's African-American sergeant, Lincoln Osiris. He's an American actor playing a white Australian actor who surgically alters himself to look like his on-screen black counterpart, in a parody of actors who take themselves and their method far too seriously. All directed by Ben Stiller. You're Australian! Be Australian! There was lots of unscripted material, but chief among them is this line from Robert Downey Jr. Peek-A-Boo! I See You! Beyond the improvised one-liner and diving forward roll, the accent is completely hilarious. I think I might be nobody. Number 4. The Secret Door. Avengers Age of Ultron. Guys, stop. We gotta talk this through. It was a good talk. No, it wasn't. While it's common knowledge that the Iron Man actor is encouraged to be fast and loose with the Marvel movie scripts, this entry marks an instance where a change had to be made in post-production. The bulk of the line, Please be a secret door, was, by all accounts, purely RDJ's on-set creation of making even the mundane action of finding a hidden door look rather amusing. Please be a secret door. Meanwhile, the gleeful little yay that follows came at the suggestion of Age of Ultron's executive producer Jeremy Latcham and was inserted into the film as part of the edit. That little moment has since reappeared as part of memes worldwide. Number 3. Creating a New Scene. The Galaga Guy. The Avengers. Iridium. What do they need the iridium for? It's a stabilizing agent. So understand, pick a weekend. I'll fly you to Portland. She's level-eyed. We've already talked about a scene that required an additional line of dialogue being added after principal photography concluded. This particular improvised bit from The Avengers, however, didn't need a new line recorded. It instead required some special effects work to allow a small unscripted moment to make it into the film. Upon entering the Helicarrier Bridge, Tony Stark points to a SHIELD worker and remarks that he's playing Galaga. Batman is playing Galaga. Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did. This is an old arcade game where you must defend humanity from attacking aliens. Wait a minute. So not only did RDJ's offhand reference reflect the film's final battle, but also director Joss Whedon thought the line worked so well that they put in visuals from the actual Galaga game in post-production. Number 2. Creating Another New Scene. Shawarma. The Avengers. We're not finished yet. And then shawarma after. American restaurants featuring Middle Eastern cuisine have Robert Downey Jr. to thank for the rise in popularity of shawarma in the 2010s, while audiences also have him to thank for the second post-credits scene of The Avengers. This beloved sequence sees the gang silently eating the dish after the Battle of New York is over, but it wouldn't have happened without some earlier scene rewrites. According to the original script, there was just one line of dialogue written for Stark to say after the battle is over before things all quickly move on. Both RDJ and the director thought it could be improved, though, so Whedon came up with a few extra ideas. RDJ ultimately went with these off-script lines. After telling the group that they should, quote, just not come in tomorrow, Stark suggests that they all go for shawarma, despite his not knowing what it is. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. You ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it. Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions. Drunk Tony – Iron Man 2 RDJ breaks when trying to ad-lib a song request. Give me a fat beat to beat my butt. Secret Handshake – Weird Science It was a slush from above, but the handshake was from the moment. Five bucks. Frensky. Wayne Gale's Australian accent – Natural Born Killers The reporter wasn't written to be from Australia until Downey Jr. insisted. Anyway, Julie, my producer, and I, we've been waiting for a long time to do a follow-up episode on you, and that time has definitely come. Doolittle and the Dragon – Doolittle The final resolution was dealt by Downey Jr. When we're moving the blockage, you'll see now, there may be an initial release of wind. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications. I Am Iron Man – Iron Man and Avengers Endgame Those famous four words that started it all off – I am Iron Man. With that, the MCU was born. The line is synonymous with Tony Stark's journey, not just in one movie, but across all Marvel productions since. It also encouraged the other writers and directors to take liberty with the characters, as they had been previously presented in the comics. The line means many things, but it takes the number one spot on this list for what it wasn't – written. Much of that first Iron Man was allegedly improvised. As a result, Robert Downey Jr.'s playful remark concluding the movie was so fresh that it became Tony Stark's catchphrase. It also led to a reshoot during the editing of Avengers Endgame that saw the cast and crew film the scenes so that the line would be included as the characters' last live words. Do you agree with our picks? 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