“I just messed around”: Tom Cruise Indirectly Inspired One of the Greatest Iron Man Scenes in the History of MCU

Tom Cruise inspired one of the most memorable Iron Man scenes of all time without being directly involved.

“I just messed around”: Tom Cruise Indirectly Inspired One of the Greatest Iron Man Scenes in the History of MCU

SUMMARY

  • Tom Cruise has accomplished quite a few things in his career, which includes his iconic roles in films such as Mission: Impossible, Edge of Tomorrow and more.
  • Cruise unintentionally inspired one of the best Iron Man scenes of all time.
  • Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man was an integral part of the MCU, for good reason.
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Tom Cruise is undeniably one of the most iconic actors in Hollywood history. While he gained fame for his roles in the acclaimed Mission: Impossible franchise, his extensive and illustrious career encompasses much more than just these blockbuster films. Interestingly enough, he indirectly inspired one of the best Iron Man scenes of all time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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Tom Cruise in this scene
Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick

Tom Cruise is recognized for his eccentric personality, sense of humor, and overall upstanding reputation. However, his affiliation with Scientology is viewed by some as evidence of absurdity. Despite this, many of his fans have come to accept and overlook this aspect of his personal life, especially as there is nothing to be done about the same.

Tom Cruise Inadvertently Inspired One Of The Best Iron Man Scenes

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. in a pivotal scene from Iron Man.

Fans of Tom Cruise films are well aware that the A-list Hollywood actor takes on his own stunts, frequently featuring a considerable amount of running—his trademark move. On a different note, Sam Rockwell is recognized as a dancing machine, and in the best possible way as well.

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For those who don’t remember, Sam Rockwell portrayed the role of Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2, as Robert Downey Jr’s biggest enemy in the film. A memorable moment occurs near the movie’s conclusion when Hammer introduces Rhodey, (Don Cheadle) and the military drones at the Stark EXPO, showcasing classic Rockwell flair as he creatively prances across the stage.

While speaking to CinemaTix, Rockwell revealed that he watched Risky Business starring Risky Business, got inspired by it and decided to mess around.

I just messed around. You know, I watched Risky Business — that’s how I learned to do the splits. I watched Footloose. And, you know, I fancied myself a young Kevin Bacon, probably. And then Michael Jackson: Thriller, Beat It.

Sam Rockwell added that he saw himself as a young Kevin Bacon too and even got inspired by Michael Jackson to boot. Nonetheless, fans loved his dance and that is all that matters in the end.

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Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man Was The Heart And Soul Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in this scene being sad
Robert Downey Jr. emotional as Iron Man

The Marvel Cinematic Universe properly took off with Robert Downey Jr’s portrayal of Iron Man in 2008, which laid the groundwork for pretty much everything the franchise would become famous for. After all, the movie was made at a time when superhero movies were niche and largely viewed as failures, but Iron Man changed all that.

Iron Man was truly the heart and soul of every major Marvel movie, as he was always a huge part of it, especially in The Avengers trilogy. It is no exaggeration to say he made Marvel what it is now and fans were devasted after his departure following Avengers: Endgame.

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Written by Subhojeet Mookherjee

Articles Published: 499

Subhojeet Mookherjee is a Freelance Entertainment Writer for FandomWire. A lover and expert in all things movies, games, TV shows, music and more. I've been in the writing business for over five years now, covering various topics all over the world. I love engaging in deep conversations with like-minded people.