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These days, Robert Downey Jr. is renowned for his role as the unofficial leader of the Marvel Cinematic Universe during its initial three phases. His portrayal of Iron Man was pivotal in establishing the MCU’s foundation, largely due to Downey Jr.’s memorable depiction of Tony Stark. After such a legendary stint as the hero, it’s quite surprising to envision him as a villain, especially one as unsettling and menacing as he portrayed in a less remembered film—not Doctor Doom.
DreamWorks Pictures
In the psychological horror film “In Dreams,” Downey Jr. took on the role of the main antagonist, Vivian Thompson. Although it’s one of Downey Jr.’s lesser-known and critically panned projects, “In Dreams” flopped at the box office after its 1999 release. Over the years, the film has not gained much positive re-evaluation, nor has it ascended to cult status. Nonetheless, it remains an intriguing chapter in Downey Jr.’s career, given the film’s genre and the complex character he embodied.
“In Dreams” revolves around Claire Cooper, played by Annette Bening, a woman gifted with clairvoyant dreams that foresee her daughter’s murder. As her dreams grow increasingly vivid and sinister, Claire discovers a telepathic link with the troubled serial killer Vivian Thompson, played by Downey Jr. When law enforcement dismisses her abilities and refuses her help in capturing Vivian, Claire takes matters into her own hands, leading to a dark, psychological battle between the two.
While Vivian is a standout villain in Downey Jr.’s repertoire, it’s not the only time he’s played a morally ambiguous character. He appeared as the antagonist in the 2006 remake of “The Shaggy Dog,” but the stakes there were comparatively low. Although he has portrayed characters with dubious ethics in other films, they rarely crossed into full-fledged villainy. Interestingly, Downey Jr. nearly debuted in the superhero realm as a villain, vying for the role of Scarecrow in “Batman Begins,” a part that eventually went to Cillian Murphy.
Vivian Thompson is Downey Jr.’s only serious villain
DreamWorks Pictures
For those keeping tabs on Marvel films, there’s anticipation surrounding Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Doctor Doom in the MCU. However, the nature of this character remains uncertain, as Doctor Doom sometimes straddles the line between villain and anti-hero in the comics. Thus far, Vivian from “In Dreams” remains Downey Jr.’s sole substantial villain role—a performance that, despite its placement in a largely forgotten film, showcases his range as an actor.
It’s not entirely accurate to say Downey Jr. has never played any other villains besides Vivian. He was the bad guy in the 2006 remake of “The Shaggy Dog,” but obviously that was a pretty low stakes affair. He’s portrayed people of questionable morality in a number of other films, though they didn’t typically cross over into outright villainy in the traditional sense. Interestingly, he nearly made his superhero movie debut as a bad guy. Downey Jr. lost out on a huge Batman villain role: He was in the running to play Scarecrow in “Batman Begins” before the part ultimately went to Cillian Murphy.
Of course, as everyone with even a passing interest in Marvel movies knows, Downey Jr. is set to play the upcoming MCU version of Doctor Doom, but we don’t yet know exactly how that’s going to pan out. Doctor Doom sometimes veers into anti-hero territory in the comics, so it’s entirely possible that Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom could follow suit. As it stands, Vivian in “In Dreams” is Downey Jr.’s only villain role of any real substance — even if it’s wasted on a completely forgettable film.
