Robert Downey Jr. teases fans with mysterious photo of 'new project'
What's cooking? We're guessing Marvel isn't making a movie about a chef with super powers, but all the elements are there.
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Oh Iron Man, why you gotta tease us like that?
On Monday, Robert Downey Jr. tweeted a photo that has movie fans buzzing. Let's break it down. There's Downey and his pal, Jon Favreau (who plays Tony Stark's driver Happy Hogan in the Iron Man films, but has a resume that goes well beyond that). You may also recognize Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man in the upcoming 2017 "Spider-Man: Homecoming."
Many of the other faces at the table may not be familiar to casual moviegoers, but they've got stellar cred in superhero land. Brothers Joe and Anthony Russo are there -- they directed the two recent Captain America movies and are directing "Avengers: Infinity War" in 2018. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is there, and so's celebrity chef Roy Choi.
But what does it mean? Just a bunch of pals gathering for burgers? Downey's tweet notes that Favreau and Choi are working on a new project, and while it didn't take long for social-media types to start envisioning a movie about a super-powered chef, there's a more likely explanation.
Favreau starred in 2014's "Chef," which was based in part on Choi, and Downey also had a role in the film, so the snapshot has many folks are thinking a "Chef 2" could be in the works.
Marvel Studios got in on the mystery too, retweeting the image and asking followers to caption it. Fans had ideas.
One harkened back to the post-credits "Avengers" movie shawarma scene.
@MarvelStudios @RobertDowneyJr @TomHolland1996 @Jon_Favreau @RidingShotgunLA Spidey's first shawarma! pic.twitter.com/7aOL1t4fca
— Ken Stratton (@kenstratton97) September 12, 2016
Another had fun with the seating order.
@MarvelStudios @RobertDowneyJr @TomHolland1996 @Jon_Favreau @RidingShotgunLA Favreau at the head? Now we know who's really in charge.
— James Lyons (@jlyons445) September 12, 2016
Someone spotted a missing hero.
@MarvelStudios @RobertDowneyJr @TomHolland1996 @Jon_Favreau @RidingShotgunLA "Hold on Thor! We had a good reason for not calling you!"
— Justin Trujillo (@BerserkerRed) September 12, 2016
And one had concerns about the bill.
@MarvelStudios @RobertDowneyJr @TomHolland1996 @Jon_Favreau @RidingShotgunLA So Robert's paying right?
— Tvproducer02 (@JessicaMPerla) September 12, 2016
And some just had a one-track mind.
@RobertDowneyJr @Jon_Favreau iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4 iron man 4
— Tomaco (@tomymarenco) September 12, 2016
Downey himself didn't go into any more detail, but Choi posted the same photo on his Instagram with the hashtag #staytuned. As if fans had any choice.