The Robert Downey Jr Film Guide: Exclusions

Wondering why you don't see a certain movie or show in the film guide? It's probably because:

• Robert Downey Jr isn't actually in the movie.

• It's a tv show or made-for-tv movie.

• He's only a narrator.

• It's a featurette or promo connected to a film that is in the guide.

• Or, it's still in development.

In Development, Limbo or Unreleased Films

All-Star Weekend (Unreleased)

This is a Jamie Foxx movie that was filmed in 2016. Robert Downey Jr is in it, playing a character called "Mexican Stranger" (reports that he only spent 4 hours on the set suggest this is a small part). It has never been released. When asked in 2022 when this would come out, Jamie Foxx said, "It’s been tough, with the lay of the land when it comes to comedy, man. We’re trying to break open those sensitive corners where people go back to laughing again." Since then, he's also had some serious health problems and selling this movie probably wasn't a priority. Will it ever be released? Maybe. Maybe not.

Sherlock Holmes 3 (In Development)

A third Sherlock movie has been "in development" for over 10 years. There were reportedly plans to create a whole Sherlock cinematic universe where other characters from the franchise would get their own spin-off films. In 2023, Susan Downey said it was "still in the hopper" and "a priority for Team Downey," but there has been no news since then. If it ever happens, Team Downey will produce, Guy Ritchie will no longer be involved and it will be added to the Film Guide.

Vertigo

In 2023, it was announced that there's a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo in development, with Robert Downey Jr possibly to star in it.

Man of the People

Robert Downey Jr was signed on to play the lead in this Richard Linklater film, but there has been no news about it since 2017.

Pinocchio

Robert Downey Jr was attached to a live-action version of Pinocchio directed by Ron Howard, but there have been no updates about this in several years. Since then, there have been 2 other Pinocchio films (one from Disney and one by Guillermo del Toro), so it seems unlikely that this one is still going to happen.

Untitled USS Indianapolis Project

This was announced in 2011, a director was attached in 2015 and there have been no updates since then.

Yucatan

Team Downey bought the rights to this old Steve McQueen project with plans for Robert Downey Jr to star in it. In 2014, they hired a screenwriter to work on it and there has been no news since.

Me, Miami and Nancy (Unreleased)

This is an indie film that shows dozens of actors reading snippets from a screenplay. Robert Downey Jr is in it, but it's never been released and there's no word that it ever will be.

TV Shows, Movies and Miniseries

There are no television shows in the film guide, but several have (or soon will have) pages in the Institute for Robert Downey Jr Studies section of this site.

Ally McBeal

He was in most of season 4 in 2000-01. There is an Ally McBeal page in the Institute.

Saturday Night Live

He hosted an episode in 1996 and was a cast member in 1985-86. There is an SNL page in the Institute

Downey's Dream Cars

This is a docu-type HBO show where he does eco-mods on old cars.

The Sympathizer

He is in this 2024 HBO limited series produced by Team Downey

Family Guy

He guest-starred (voiced) on one episode, called The Fat Guy Strangler.

Mr. Willowby's Christmas

He starred in this made-for-TV Muppets special. It was never released on VHS or DVD anywhere.

Mussolini: The Untold Story

A young Robert Downey Jr appears in this 1985 made-for-TV miniseries.

Featurettes, Narrations, etc.

Dear America: Letters from Vietnam

He is the narrator of this 1987 documentary film but does not appear on-screen, which is why it's not in the film guide.

Equilibrium

This is the name of the Steven Soderbergh short film from Eros. Robert Downey Jr is in this and it's in the guide under Eros.

Hubert Selby: It'll Be Better Tomorrow

He is the narrator of this 2005 documentary film but does not appear on-screen, which is why this is not in the film guide.

Love and Distrust

Love and Distrust isn't a movie. It's a DVD that has 5 separate short films on it. Robert Downey Jr is in one of these films, called Auto Motives, which is in the guide.

Rain of Madness

This was a promo for Tropic Thunder and is included in the Director's Cut of the DVD.

Satan's Alley

This is a fake movie within Tropic Thunder. Everything there is to see about it is in the Tropic Thunder entry.

Stuff He's Not In

Play Dirty

Robert Downey Jr will not be in this Shane Black film, although he and Team Downey are involved in producing it.

Average Height, Average Build

He was attached to this Netflix comedy, but the streaming service has scrapped the project.

Boogie Nights

His father (Robert Downey Sr) is in this movie. Sometimes it shows up in Jr's filmography or TV listings but this is a mistake.

The Last Party 2000

This documentary is a sequel to The Last Party, in the sense that it's a less interesting version of the same concept, produced by some of the same people. They do not reference the original film and Robert Downey Jr is not in it.

To Live and Die in L.A.

His father (Robert Downey Sr) is in this movie. Sometimes it shows up in Jr's filmography or TV listings but this is a mistake.