It’s safe to sayAvengers: Infinity Waris a big movie. Ten years and eighteen films in the making,Infinity Warpacks in more characters and action than any sane movie should contain, delivering the payoff for an entire cinematic universe in a single feature-length film. When a movie like Infinity War presents you with the full scope of the MCU in a single blast, it can be hard to remember that the whole venture started off as something smaller, more intimate, and very much the product of the industry’s quiet king of crowd pleasers,Jon Favreau.
It’s been ten years sinceIron Manhit theaters. The standalone that started it all, Iron Man set the template for Marvel movies, built a cult of personality around its star, and introduced the joyful tone that has come to define the MCU brand. Everyone knows thatKevin Feigeis the mastermind behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he deserves every share of credit that comes his way for building and maintaining a phenomenal, unprecedented cinematic experience. But somewhere along the line, Favreau’s fundamental contributionsto the franchise have become, not quite ignored or forgotten, but diminished. Which is insane when you consider how wellIron Manholds up a decade later in the pantheon of MCU films and how much the DNA of that movie still thrives in the lifeblood of the franchise. And Favreau’s fingerprints are all over it.
There are no two ways about it. Favreau was critical in launching the MCU and defining the flavor of that Marvel-brand movie experience. He established the breezy Marvel tone, leaning into the formula of the action and livening it up with killer character moments. He’s the person to thank for castingRobert Downey Jr.in his career-defining role as Tony Stark. Downey’s smarmy but heartfelt, cocky-meets-charismatic performance embodied the spirit of Iron Man, turning the then mid-tier comic book character into a household name and reviving Downey’s career in a single stroke.
These days, Downey’s king of the Marvel sandbox, becoming Tony Stark incarnate with his famed on-set compounds, well-tailored suits, and unwavering smirk. But whenIron Man’s production was gearing up back in the late 2000s, Downey was still seen as a risk. Despite being sober for years, he was just beginning his career comeback and still seen as a dangerous candidate to shoulder Marvel’s self-financed franchise. Favreau fought for him to be cast, holding strong despite multiple “no"s from the studio end until the actor finally won over the studio team in the screen tests.
The gamble paid off. Downey has become the backbone of the franchise. And once Downey signed on, other big names came on board too. “Robert was a great beacon for other actors,” Favreau toldEW.“Gwyneth Paltrow came on board, and Jeff Bridges. It went on from there — this tremendous wealth of talented people who are going to bring life to this thing that could otherwise have been a cartoon.” The so-called godfather of the Avengers, Downey became a top-billed star, earning astronomical paychecks with each new film. He shouldered three standaloneIron Manmovies, threeAvengersmovies, a co-lead role inCaptain America: Civil War, and a supporting role inSpider-Man: Homecoming. His personality and wit have become an anchor of the franchise. Favreau fought for that too, carving out time on set for improv, playing to Downey’s strengths. As Favreau succinctly told100.3 Jack FM, “It was my job as a director to show that [Downey] was the best choice creatively…and now the Marvel Universe is the biggest franchise in film history.”
That wasn’t the first time Favreau played a key role in launching an actor’s career into the stratosphere, As a filmmaker and a performer, Favreau has an eye for talent and a drive to foster it. Favreau’s first feature script was forSwingers, theDoug Limanfilm that launchedVince Vaughn’s career. He gaveWill Ferrellhis first film lead withElf, helping his career blossom from that of anSNLheadliner to a full-on movie star. When he learned that Ferrell’sElfcostarZooey Deschanelhad a “great Doris Day voice,”he rewrote the scriptto highlight it. As a filmmaker, he takes joy in watching people fulfill their talents and in turn, it makes his films a joy to watch.
Both on camera and below the line, Favreau is always looking for ways to mine his cast and crew for their skills. Just look at his pick for cinematographer onThe Lion King, DP legendCaleb Deschanel, who proved his knack for capturing the majesty of nature in films likeBlack StallionandFly Away Homeand is poised to bring that quality to the photoreal CGI environments of the Disney remake. Read any interview with Favreau and you’ll notice how quick he is to call out his crew by name, singling them out for the unique talents they bring to the fold.
Likewise, he looks at his scripts for the essential scenes and the must-have moments of entertainment. That’s how he approachedThe Jungle Book, Disney’s CGI/live-action hybrid that pushed the boundaries technologically but stayed true to the spirit of the animated classic in all the essential ways. He pinpointed the key scenes that had to be in the film, the moments that made people love the original movie and the moments that would let his cast shine –Bill Murraycrooning ‘The Bare Necessities,‘Christopher Walkengoing full-tilt as King Louie, the terrifying encounter with Kaa. As a filmmaker approaching a remake, he’s always focused on mining the gold from his cast, crew, and the material itself, keeping a sharp eye on the audience experience.
It’s that joy for filmmaking and appreciation of every part of the process that makes Favreau’s films such a pleasure for the audience. He knows when everything has to be pre-planned to a tee. When he’s shooting action or CGI-heavy scenes, storyboarding is the name of the game, but even in these immense blockbusters, he taps into his Chicago improv roots and finds time for the live wire moment of spontaneity. He appreciates a feel-good movie and the value of simple joys. He appreciates the process of making something well. Just look atChef, the super-sweet low-budget film he dove into after taking his licks onIron Man 2(they can’t all be winners). Much more overtly autobiographical than any of his other films,Chefis a movie all about embracing and celebrating the simple joys and knowing that a good Cubano can be just as delicious as a five-star meal.
And Favreau is always aware that he’s making these movies for an audience. “It’s not something I would do if nobody was watching them, likeVan Goghpainting for himself,” he told theLA Timesback in 2011. “Some filmmakers are artists, they’re auteurs. I see it as a medium of communication. If I’m putting something out there and the fans are not getting it, then I’m not doing my job.”
That instinct may not have earned him the critical cache of the self-professed auteurs and awards circuit darlings, but it has earned him one hell of a career. A favorite at Disney, with a Star Wars series on the horizon (a good choice even if the timing of that announcement was ill-advised), Favreau has carved out a proud niche for himself has one of the best crowd-pleasers in the biz. He’s got a bonafide Christmas classic under his belt, an Oscar-winning Disney film, and a superhero movie that changed the course of cinema and launched the biggest franchise of all time. How many filmmakers can say that?
