I didn't think it was going to succeed," Tom Cruise said of his $2.4 billion Iron Man role. I'm not going to let him make movie decisions.

Since the beginning of his career, Tom Cruise's stardom has reached a pinnacle in practically every decade.

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In his early career, Cruise appeared in several box office smashes, including the action blockbuster Top Gun.

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Cruise has never been short of movie roles; he has always been busy not just with showbiz but also with conducting his own stunts in his films.

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However, Cruise was almost ready to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the studio's hugely successful franchise that salvaged Robert Downey Jr's career.

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Iron Man is the MCU's iconic comic book superhero, and he has been instrumental in the development of the studio's popular franchise.

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Furthermore, it is difficult to envision anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. as the title hero Iron Man.

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The MCU was dead bent on casting Cruise in the early 2000s, according to a 2005 interview with the Mission Impossible franchise actor.

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Cruise thought the film would fail, but even the best in the business may be wrong. Cruise has made some incredible judgments, but passing down the Iron Man role was not one of them.

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Gauff wins the Cincinnati Open by defeating Muchova.

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