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Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens is Losing Robert Downey Jr.

by Alex Billington
January 11, 2010
Source: LA Times

Smart decision, Downey. Last September it was announced that Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. would be re-teaming for the adaptation of Platinum Comics' series Cowboys & Aliens. Not anymore. The LA Times is reporting tonight that Downey will no longer star in the film, but it will still move forward with Favreau attached as director. Production is still tentatively set to begin this year for a release in the summer of 2011. Apparently Downey Jr. left because of "scheduling issues," which is a bit odd considering he hasn't announced what he's going to be working on following Due Date (which already finished shooting anyway).

Here's why I think this is actually a very smart decision. Downey Jr. is already the king of two incredibly successful and very popular franchises: Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. And if he were to take on another comic book adaptation, at the same time sequels for each of those other franchises were being developed, it would just seem like Downey was starring in Cowboys & Aliens as a gunslinging Tony Stark (which I'm sure some people would've been happy seeing). I'd love to see him diversify his slate with more unique roles like that of Charlie Chaplin rather than fill it up with franchise after franchise. It just would've been too much.

So, truthfully, I'm happy to hear that Cowboys & Aliens is searching for another lead. The script is being written by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and is being produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks is developing. We'll let you know once they find a replacement for Zeke Jackson, the gunslinger who leads an anti-alien revolt when the creatures land in Arizona circa the mid-19th century.

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SFX

I got mixed feelings on this, I love Robert Downey Jr. But after seeing Sherlock Holmes and seeing how he basically played the same character he did in Iron Man just in a different context, him being in Cowboys & Aliens might be overload for me. But, then again the movie might suck without him
Zach

Supposedly he dropped out of this to do the Sherlock Holmes sequel. They're fast tracking it.
Xerxex

sweet, I perfer a Sherlock Holmes sequel.
SlashBeast

#1 - SFX You're right. He does always play the same character in pretty much all his performances. This is good news. RDJ would have made this already lame movie even lamer.
ME

Hey douchebag. RDJ is awesome and doesnt play the same character in all his performances. YOU'RE LAME! Okay, i know that is a lame insult, but i dont know you so i dont want to be rude. I just love RDJ!
SlashBeast

^ Blind adoration. And the best you can counter with is lame insults, pathetic really. RDJ, with a few exceptions, plays the same character in every movie, i.e. himself. Honestly, watch any of his interviews then watch Iron Man, where does RDJ stop and Tony Stark begin? Robert Downy Jr. acts the same in almost every movie he’s in. Fast talking, smarmy, and always quick to recover from anything thrown at him. He's one of the most overpraised actors working today.