While Robert Downey Jr. is still one of the biggest names in the film industry, much of it due to his role as the MCU's Iron Man in recent years, he's not the only Downey that's getting his due recognition.
Downey Jr. was last seen in the MCU when he left behind the franchise with Tony Stark’s death in Avengers: Endgame. But since then, he’s remained incredibly busy with other movie roles and new endeavors outside of the movie industry.
The actor’s next post-Endgame film role will come in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, in which he’s only one of more than a dozen big names coming together for this exciting story. However, he's also taken the time to become more of a family man in public, particularly after his father, Robert Downey Sr., passed away in July 2021.
Downey Sr. was a titan in the movie business, directing nearly 20 films since 1953, and working on countless other projects over the years as well. Now, with Downey Jr. still pushing forward with his own career, the Iron Man star is set to share a look into his father's life with a new documentary coming out soon.
Iron Man Star Releasing Family Documentary
On his Twitter account, Robert Downey Jr. shared the official poster for a Netflix documentary he's producing that celebrates the life of Robert Downey Sr., his father. The documentary is titled Sr. and will be released on Netflix on December 2.
Netflix previously shared its own release about the documentary, which included a message from Downey Sr. himself.
The filmmaker told Sr. director Chris Smith “Trust anything, and anything can happen,” which Smith described as being the "guiding light" for his work on this look into the Downeys' lives.
Smith also released his own statement, describing the father and son as "larger than life, but open and human as ever" while sharing the joy he had getting a glimpse into what made them special:
“Knowing what I know now. it’s really the only way you could attempt to make something on the two Downeys. Larger than life, but open and human as ever, it was such a pleasure and life-affirming experience to capture some glimpses of the highs, lows and everything in between.”
Sr. looks into Downey Sr.'s life and film career while also exploring his creativity and the generational trauma he endured. His relationship with his son will also be a huge part of the story at hand, and the documentary is produced by Downey Jr.'s wife, Susan, Emily Barclay Ford, and Kevin Ford.
Downey also shared the following message about the release, teasing the story of his father's "maverick rise in NYC, his crash, burn and redemption in Hollywood" as well as the relationship between the father and son:
"He was a groundbreaking filmmaker. As well as my dad. It’s not uncomplicated… ”Sr.” is a documentary that tells the story of Robert Downey’s maverick rise in NYC, his crash, burn and redemption in Hollywood and our relationship in the aftermath. Only on Netflix, December 2nd."
Downey Jr. Celebrates Father's Life in New Doc
Robert Downey Jr. has become much more public in recent years about his personal life, sharing glimpses into his everyday outings on social media while he promotes his upcoming work. Now, he has the chance to pull the curtain back even further by looking at the legacy his father built as a director, producer, and writer before his passing in 2021.
With just about a month until the documentary debuts on Netflix, fans will look forward to seeing the specifics behind the Downeys' stories as the father and son's journeys through Hollywood are highlighted.
Downey Sr. has nearly seven decades of history to touch on not only with his work on movies but also as a father to Downey Jr. and the rest of the family, especially while the latter started his own acting career in the '70s and '80s. How much the story focuses on Downey Jr.'s time in the MCU or in other major franchises is still a mystery, although he'll likely have almost as big of a voice in this project as his father as the two dive into their relationship with one another.
But however those details work out, anything focused on the Downey family is sure to draw a crowd, particularly with this being a way to celebrate Downey Sr.'s life and career after he passed away last year.
