47 Inventions That Sounded Bonkers at First But Turned Out to Be a Huge Success

There’s no denying Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Iron Man was a hit with audiences everywhere. Some of us still prefer Captain America, though. Hindsight is 20/20, and looking back, it’s hard to imagine anyone else filling the iron boots of Tony Stark. At the time, casting Downey—a talented actor with a turbulent past—was considered a gamble.

But as it turned out, his charm and wit were a perfect match for the billionaire playboy turned superhero. It’s a classic case of art imitating life; just as Stark transformed into something greater, so did Downey revitalize his career in a role that became iconic.