According to the man himself, Howard Stern may be in talks to star or play a large part in a Doctor Doom project that could take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, it's unclear if this information is accurate or a big misunderstanding, but without an official announcement, it's up in the air. Nevertheless, fans haven't shied away from voicing their opinions. However, this potential casting also dug up the fact that there was a time when the MCU was once the underdog when it came to casting choices.

In recent years, the MCU has become a big-ticket gig or, on occasion, a fast track to superstardom. The studio brought actors like Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt into a much larger spotlight. But it's also cast more well-known actors and actresses like Michelle Phieffer and Anthony Hopkins. However, no matter the casting choices, the MCU has become a standard for movie making and what was a risk before is now nearly a guarantee of success. That said, the early years were anything but promising, as constant gambling on projects eventually put everything in motion.

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For starters, the creation of the first Iron Man film was a gamble in itself. At the time, Robert Downey Jr. wasn't the first choice to play the role of Tony Stark, as his own past often came into question. However, the filmmakers took a chance on an actor primed for a comeback, and the rest was history. That was because Tony Stark, commonly depicted as a recovering alcoholic, had made his own share of mistakes but always tried to be better than he was the day before. At the time, this was where RDJ was in his life. The film also suffered from constant script rewrites that made its inevitable conclusion feel like anything but a certain. Nevertheless, magic happened, and a film empire was born.

Since then, the MCU has continued to take gambles on castings and projects that have continued to pay off. In fact, there was even a time when Guardians of the Galaxy's success wasn't guaranteed, but the studio put faith in director James Gunn to put it all together. At the time, Gunn had only worked on smaller pictures, so the pressure was just as high as it was on Iron Man. These are just some small examples of the MCU's risks, but they prove the point of the importance of the notion that Stern may be attached to a Doctor Doom project.

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Tony Stark announces that he is  Iron Man

Part of what has made the MCU such a success has been how it prides creativity over recognition. Getting a big-name star to sell tickets could be easy, but that wouldn't mean anything without a strong story. As a result, more risks get taken on creators that may have never worked on massive projects. For the possibility that Stern could be in the MCU, he may have something unique to offer, even if it's a small role. There are rarely any wrong choices made in these films' creative processes, and it has shown that the MCU hasn't forgotten where it came from.

It's possible that Howard Stern's comments could be nothing more than a misunderstanding and may not even lead to where fans are thinking. But on the off chance it's not, it's clear the MCU hasn't sacrificed telling a faithful story with faithful character interpretations. Therefore, it's important to remember that there was a time when Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man seemed like an incorrect choice.