Robert Downey Jr. Reveals His Pick for Best Marvel Movie

The core cast of The Avengers agrees on one movie as the best the MCU has released to date.

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn’t be the behemoth franchise it is without Kevin Feige and Jon Favreau’s Iron Man gambit. Few anticipated the 2008 film would even be a hit, and that its success would propel subsequent Marvel films at the box office. It’s also widely accepted that it was Robert Downey Jr. who singlehandedly jumpstarted the MCU, which at last count has 33 movies under its belt. One would think Downey would choose Iron Man as Marvel’s best installment, but in MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, the actor and his Avengers co-stars unanimously chose Guardians of the Galaxy as their favorite.

Authors Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards documented the moment The Avengers cast was asked what they thought was the MCU’s pivotal moment, and they agreed it had something to do with a misfit movie that starred a cyborg raccoon and talking tree. “Guardians of the Galaxy opened up another door in the Marvel Universe,” Mark Ruffalo remarked. “It could go into space, it could be funny, it could be colorful, it has a style that’s totally disconnected from the rest of the Marvel Universe.” That movie did take the MCU to new heights, proving how a good adaptation can popularize a largely unknown Marvel IP.

What’s even more interesting is that Robert Downey Jr. confirmed Ruffalo’s statement. “Galaxy in some ways is the best Marvel movie ever,” he said. “And it’s odd for someone with — on occasion — an ego the size of mine to actually say that.” To be fair, Downey’s run-ins with the Guardians of the Galaxy were also played out in memorable MCU scenes, such as their first squabble on Titan in Avengers: Infinity War, or his paper football match with Nebula in Endgame. It’s hard to imagine Tony Stark or Iron Man in the company of other superheroes, but his moments with the Guardians prove that he’s as welcome as Thor to the team.

ton

Feige also commended director James Gunn for successfully adapting Guardians of the Galaxy from the comics. “[It’s] the best example of the audience validating even our most esoteric instincts… of how far they are willing to go with us. Just the ridiculous pairing of a tree and a raccoon and a guy that doesn’t understand metaphors. We just loved the idea of doing that.” Gunn’s eclectic film evidently resonated with audiences upon launch, and all three Guardians of the Galaxy films went on to surpass the $750 million mark at the box office. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s post-credit scene even hinted at a spinoff adventure for Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord in an upcoming film.

All three Guardians of the Galaxy movies are streaming on Disney+.

Source: MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios