Smallville Creators’ Abandoned Iron Man Movie: The Studio Note That Killed It

Before Robert Downey Jr. transformed Tony Stark into the cornerstone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man spent nearly two decades trapped in development hell at various Hollywood studios. One particularly bizarre iteration of the project came courtesy of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the writing duo behind The WB’s hit series Smallville, who recently detailed how their version fell apart over an absurd creative mandate. During a 2025 appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the pair recounted their year-long effort to bring the armored Avenger to the big screen—a project that collapsed after a New Line Cinema executive suggested the high-tech hero should leap between buildings rather than fly.

The revelation sheds new light on the turbulent pre-production history of one of Marvel’s most valuable properties. While the 2008 Jon Favreau film ultimately became the unlikely superhero hit that changed Hollywood’s approach to cinematic universes, Gough and Millar’s unrealized version represents a fascinating “what if” scenario that could have drastically altered the trajectory of modern blockbuster filmmaking.

From Smallville to Stark Industries

Gough and Millar entered the Iron Man conversation following the massive commercial success of Spider-Man 2, which cemented their reputation as capable hands for superhero adaptations. Marvel Studios founder Avi Arad approached the duo about tackling Tony Stark’s origin story, despite Gough admitting he had zero familiarity with the character. As Gough recalled on the podcast, Arad pitched the concept succinctly: a billionaire weapons manufacturer with an alcohol problem who suffers a life-altering accident and attempts to redeem himself through technology.

The description immediately hooked the writers precisely because it diverged from the adolescent heroes dominating screens at the time. “It wasn’t another teen superhero,” Gough explained, highlighting the mature themes that distinguished Stark from Peter Parker or Clark Kent. The pair spent twelve months developing multiple script drafts for New Line Cinema, which held the film rights to the character throughout the late 1990s after Universal’s early-1990s option expired.

During this development window, Tom Cruise remained attached to potentially star as the titular hero. The project appeared to be gaining momentum as Gough and Millar prepared for a crucial summit meeting with Arad, future Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, and New Line founder Robert Shaye to discuss their vision for the film.

The Meeting That Grounded the Project

The screenplay’s fate was sealed within minutes of that pivotal conference. According to Gough, Shaye became fixated on a single logistical concern that revealed fundamental misunderstandings about the character’s appeal. The executive questioned whether Iron Man truly needed the ability to fly, suggesting instead that the armored protagonist could simply leap from building to building like a mechanical kangaroo.

The comparison to Superman apparently triggered the note. Shaye reportedly reasoned that because Superman could fly, Iron Man required differentiation—apparently unaware that aerial combat and jet-propelled mobility constituted core elements of Stark’s technological prowess. Gough recalled the specific exchange: Shaye asked, “Because Superman could fly. Can [Iron Man] just leap from building to building?”

The writers recognized instantly that the project had lost its viability. As Gough noted, the trio departed the meeting realizing the venture would not proceed under New Line’s supervision. Studio interference has historically derailed numerous high-profile productions, from the chaotic production of Alien 3 to Disney’s forced revisions of Toy Story, but rarely has a single creative note so thoroughly undermined a project’s foundational concept. The demand to remove flight—a signature capability that distinguishes Iron Man’s visual spectacle from grounded heroes—signaled a fundamental disconnect between the filmmakers and the studio.

Why Tom Cruise Walked Away

While Gough and Millar’s involvement ended following the disastrous pitch, Cruise remained intermittently attached to various Iron Man iterations before eventually declining the role entirely. In a separate interview with IGN, the actor explained his decision stemmed from creative control concerns rather than scheduling conflicts. Cruise stated that as the project developed, he sensed limitations on his ability to influence the film’s direction.

“[Marvel Studios] came to me at a certain point,” Cruise acknowledged. “As it was lining up, it just didn’t feel to me like it was gonna work. I need to be able to make decisions and make the film as great as it can be, and it just didn’t go down that road that way.”

The actor’s intuition proved remarkably prescient. His departure opened the door for Downey’s casting—a decision that fundamentally shaped the MCU’s tone and success. Cruise’s involvement in Gough and Millar’s version would have likely demanded significant script alterations, potentially steering the character even further from the source material given the writers’ already tenuous grasp on the comics.

The Rights Journey and Marvel’s Reclamation

Understanding the scope of this abandoned project requires examining the convoluted rights history that preceded Marvel’s cinematic dominance. The timeline of Iron Man’s development illustrates the character’s journey from obscure comic book property to billion-dollar franchise anchor:

• Early 1990s: Universal Pictures initially acquires film rights to Iron Man
• Late 1990s: Rights transfer to New Line Cinema following Universal’s option lapse
• Circa 2003-2004: Gough and Millar hired following Spider-Man 2 success; multiple drafts developed over one year
• Post-Meeting: Project dissolves after Shaye’s flight restriction demands
• 2008: Marvel Studios reacquires rights; Jon Favreau directs Robert Downey Jr. in the definitive version

The reversion of rights to Marvel proved crucial. Under Kevin Feige and Avi Arad’s stewardship, the 2008 film embraced every element that New Line feared, including spectacular aerial dogfights and unapologetic superhero spectacle. Gough himself acknowledged the superior execution of Marvel’s eventual production, praising the 2008 version as “fantastic” and recognizing that the character landed in preferable hands.

A Fortunate Failure?

The collapse of Gough and Millar’s Iron Man may represent a rare instance where studio interference benefited cinematic history. The duo’s subsequent television project, a 2011 Charlie’s Angels reboot for ABC, earned the dubious distinction of receiving a 0% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes—suggesting their creative sensibilities may not have aligned with Iron Man’s requirements.

Had the New Line version proceeded with Cruise starring and a grounded, non-flying hero, the Marvel Cinematic Universe might never have achieved its current form. The 2008 film’s success relied heavily on Downey’s charisma and Favreau’s balanced direction, elements unlikely to emerge from the Smallville writers’ interpretation. Gough’s admission that he entered the project ignorant of the character’s history suggests a version potentially divorced from the comics’ essential identity.

Iron Man’s eventual 2008 debut fundamentally altered Hollywood’s approach to interconnected storytelling, grossing over $585 million worldwide and launching a franchise that would dominate global box offices for subsequent decades. The abandoned Gough-Millar-Cruise iteration remains a fascinating footnote—a cautionary tale about the dangers of studio mandates that undermine source material integrity.

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