Robert Downey Jr. Calls Jon Favreau the ‘Elon Musk of Cinema,’ Sparking Fan Controversy: “That’s not a compliment”
Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau share a crucial connection in the MCU, both on and off-screen. Favreau, who directed the first two Iron Man films, was key in casting Downey as Tony Stark/Iron Man, a choice that laid the foundation for the MCU. Their collaboration was instrumental in the success of Iron Man, which launched the MCU and set its tone.
On-screen, their characters also have a strong bond. Favreau portrays Happy Hogan, Tony Stark’s dedicated friend, bodyguard, and head of security. Throughout the MCU, Happy consistently supports Tony, offering both comic relief and emotional depth. Favreau’s most recent appearance was in Deadpool & Wolverine, where he delivered the news to Deadpool that he hadn’t made it into the Avengers.
Favreau and Downey are frequent collaborators, which led to Downey’s recent comments about the director on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. Downey likened Favreau to Elon Musk, describing him as the “Elon Musk of cinema.”
“He’s always been a tech friendly guy… as evident by [his projects]”
The statement was likely intended as a compliment, but many fans did not see it that way. Elon Musk was once seen as the “real-life Iron Man” due to his tech interests, vast resources, quick wit, and charismatic personality. However, his social media activity, especially on Twitter/X, has often been controversial. His posts, ranging from memes to bold and sometimes unfounded claims, have sparked concerns about misinformation. For instance, his skeptical tweets about COVID-19 and promotion of unproven treatments drew significant criticism during the pandemic.
Recently, Musk has garnered negative attention for his outspoken stance against what he calls the “woke” agenda, alleged incitement of violent protests in the UK via his platform, and support for controversial figures like J.K. Rowling and Gina Carano.
As a strong advocate for free speech, Musk’s refusal to censor certain unpopular views has made him a target for criticism, even without these controversies. Given this backdrop, fans worry that RDJ’s comparison might come across more as an insult than a compliment.
What are your thoughts on Downey’s comparison? Share your views in the comments below!