Robert Downey Jr. praises Cillian Murphy’s iconic turn as Scarecrow in Nolan’s Batman trilogy

Before becoming the iconic Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. revealed his earlier aspiration to play the villain Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies.

During a recent Q&A at Los Angeles’ American Cinematheque theater, the 58-year-old actor confirmed that he once met with Nolan about the role in 2005’s Batman Begins.

Downey Jr. recalled his enthusiasm, stating, “I’m pretty sure I heard about this role and I was like, I’m Scarecrow.”

He went on to describe a meeting with Nolan for tea, where he sensed the director might not be fully invested in the idea.

Robert shared his impression, saying, “He was polite and all that, but you can tell when someone is kind of like, It’s not going to go anywhere.”

Ultimately, the role went to Murphy, who portrayed Scarecrow opposite Christian Bale’s Batman.

He had initially auditioned for the Batman role but, along with Nolan, felt it wasn’t the right fit, leading to his successful casting as the menacing Scarecrow.

“I did the test, and then he saw something in that and cast me as Scarecrow in Batman Begins, and we continued on making movies,” Murphy shared.

The actor’s journey with Nolan extended beyond the Batman trilogy, with notable roles in films like Inception (2011) and the upcoming Oppenheimer.