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Robert Downey Jr. has been acting for fifty years and has starred in some of the most critically acclaimed films ever. In every role he plays, he creates nuances in each character and flawlessly conveys them through his stellar acting skills. In the more recent days of Robert Downey Jr.'s career, he has become well-known for his portrayal of Iron Man, alongside his performances in Tropic Thunder, Zodiac, and Sherlock Holmes.

Over the past decade, Robert Downey Jr. has primarily portrayed the Marvel character Iron Man across numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. In the last decade, while he has a new role in the MCU coming out, he also played two additional characters in other films and participated in a documentary about his father. Among his film releases since 2015, some roles stand out and precede one another.

RelatedRobert Downey Deserved His Oscar Win For Another Biopic Over 30 Years Prior

While Robert Downey Jr.

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

"At that point I was bulletproof. I was the guru of all genre movies." Those are the words of Robert Downey Jr. in 2023 as "Oppenheimer" was making its way to theaters. That film went on to win "Best Picture" and made nearly $1 billion worldwide. It also won Rdj an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The point in time he was talking about? Around 2017 when he was cast in a film called "The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle," later shortened to just "Dolittle."

The resounding success of "Oppenheimer" cemented Downey as an unquestioned A-lister, even outside of the confines of "Iron Man" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His turn as Tony Stark for more than a decade revived his career beyond even wildest expectations.

Stephen Gaghan's 2020 film "Dolittle," based on Hugh Lofting's "Doctor Dolittle" novels published in the 1920s and 1930s, was notable in that it was Robert Downey Jr.'s first major acting job in five years that wasn't part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Downey's five previous credits were for Avengers movies, wherein he played the inimitable Iron Man. The MCU, as well as Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" movies, made Downey a wealthy worldwide superstar and a widely recognized household name. His 2010s fame, however, didn't seem to lead to other notable acting gigs. In 2009, Downey appeared in "The Soloist," and 2010 saw the release of the road comedy "Due Date," but neither of those were huge smashes. Downey starred in and produced "The Judge" in 2014, but that film attracted more attention for his co-star Robert Duvall than for his own performance. 

In 2020, when "Dolittle" was released, it seemed to many that Downey was adrift.

Fantasy movies of the 1960s are a time capsule of an age of imagination that has gone on to inspire some of the best fantasy movies and performances of all time. While these films blend a variety of genres and story types, many of the most prominent fantasy movies of the decade were produced by Walt Disney Studios. Both animated and live-action films garnered great success for Disney during the '60s, but this family-friendly fare isn't all the decade has to offer. Darker and more adult fantasy films drew older audiences to theaters and are great projects to rewatch today.

One of the reasons it's so fun to look back on works of speculative fiction from the 1960s is because the filmmakers had to be so creative with the use of visual effects. These projects use miniatures and beautifully constructed practical sets and make early forays into the use of animation in live-action projects.

With Robert Downey Jr. finally winning an Oscar for Oppenheimer and co-starring in the acclaimed HBO miniseries The Sympathizer, Awfully Good Movies is looking back at Rdj’s first and failed attempt at a post-Marvel franchise in the failed family fantasy Dolittle!

Right after Tony Stark’s epic exit from the MCU, Downey hopped on to star in and co-produce alongside his wife Susan a new adaptation of Hugh Lofting’s children’s book series about the veterinarian who can talk all the languages of his animal patients, this time without any overlong musical numbers from Rex Harrison or silly mugging from Eddie Murphy. However, much like the 1998 version, Dolittle’s animals would be voiced by a huge array of talented actors, including Rdj’s former Avengers co-star Tom Holland and future Oppenheimer co-star Rami Malek, and the long-awaited teaming of Dame Emma Thompson and John Cena that we’ve...

Dolittle brings to life a classic children's tale with a stellar voice cast and live-action allure, marking Rdj's return to the screen. While it bombed at the box office, the film's true magic lies in its enchanting cadre of CGI animals and an all-star voice cast. A celebration of conversing with animals, Dolittle injects a family-oriented zest with a diverse and talented vocal ensemble.

Starring the charismatic Robert Downey Jr. as the titular character, Dolittle marries a stellar voice cast with its live-action allure. Helmed by Stephen Gaghan and drawing inspiration from Hugh Lofting's classic 1922 children's tale, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, this live-action/CGI spectacle marks Downey Jr.'s much-anticipated return to the silver screen following his epic swan song in the previous year's cinematic titan, Avengers: Endgame.

While Dolittle boasts on-screen talents such as Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, and Jessie Buckley, the film's true magic...

Robert Downey Jr.'s post-mcu career hasn't gone smoothly, and his participation in the Vertigo remake risks adding to his box office slump. Downey Jr.'s involvement in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was successful, but his film Dolittle was a box office bomb that highlighted the risks of revivals. The Vertigo remake is concerning, as it attempts to recreate a cinematic treasure. If it fails, it could prove that Downey Jr. still needs Iron Man for box office success.

Robert Downey Jr.'s participation in the upcoming remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo has the potential to recover his post-mcu box office slump, but it also risks contributing to it. Nearly a decade after performing as MCU figurehead Iron Man, Downey Jr. retired the popular character in the hopes of expanding to fresh roles that could break him out of the Tony Stark mold. Downey Jr. fosters nearly 50 years of acting experience,...

Robert Downey, Jr. believes two of his most important films are not Marvel Cinematic Universe related but instead some of his biggest flops: The Shaggy Dog and Dolittle.

In an interview with The New York Times to promote his next film, Oppenheimer, Downey explained how these family-friendly movies were significant turning points in his career. Beginning with the 2006 Disney remake of The Shaggy Dog starring Tim Allen, Downey's professionalism on set gave the House of Mouse confidence that his troubled past was behind him. Simultaneously, the underperformance of the 2010 reimagining of Hugh Lofting's novel Dolittle was seen by Downey as a serious learning lesson. "Honestly, the two most important films I've done in the last 25 years are The Shaggy Dog, because that was the film that got Disney saying they would insure me," Downey said. "Then the second most important film was Dolittle, because Dolittle was a two-and-a-half-year wound of squandered opportunity.

As the MCU’s Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. was virtually invincible, in all senses of the word. However, leaving behind the character after more than a decade led to one of the actor’s biggest flops when he starred in Dolittle as his first post-mcu movie. Looking back on the decisions that led to the 2020 movie, Downey Jr. reflected on how his feeling of being “bulletproof” led to that short, sharp crash back to Earth.

Dolittle, another remake of the classic stories of Hugh Lofting, was heavily billed as Downey Jr.s big break away from his MCU role as Tony Stark. However, after gaining just a 15% Rotten Tomatoes approval rate and earning just $250 million at a pre-pandemic box office, the movie was a flop in every way despite its big name cast. According to Downey Jr. himself, the reason for the failure was all down to there being...

Robert Downey Jr. is opening up about Dolittle, the 2020 film that was ill-reviewed and has a 15% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

In a recent interview, Downey said the movie directed by Stephen Gaghan and based on Hugh Lofting’s second Doctor Dolittle book was one of the most important films he’s done in the past two decades.

“I finished the Marvel contract and then hastily went into what had all the promise of being another big, fun, well-executed potential franchise in Dolittle,” he told The New York Times Magazine. “I had some reservations. Me and my team seemed a little too excited about the deal and not quite excited enough about the merits of the execution. But at that point I was bulletproof. I was the guru of all genre movies.”

He continued, “Honestly, the two most important films I’ve done in the last 25 years are The Shaggy Dog...

On paper, Dolittle must have felt like a sure thing. The big-screen adaptation of Hugh Lofting’s classic Dolittle character was Robert Downey Jr.’s first major project after he exited the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, despite grossing over $250 million worldwide, Dolittle was considered a box-office bomb and a critical disappointment, but Robert Downey Jr. still considers it to be one of the most important films he’s ever made.

Robert Downey Jr. reflected on the failure of Dolittle in a recent New York Times profile. “I finished the Marvel contract and then hastily went into what had all the promise of being another big, fun, well-executed potential franchise in Dolittle,” Downey Jr. explained. “I had some reservations. Me and my team seemed a little too excited about the deal and not quite excited enough about the merits of the execution. But at that point I was bulletproof. I was...

Dolittle star Robert Downey Jr. has reflected candidly on the movie's notorious failure. Dolittle, which was a big-budget adaptation of the Hugh Lofting children's book The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, was meant to kickstart the star's next big franchise after leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 2020 blockbuster bombed at the box office with a $250 million worldwide total, earned a dismal 15% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and was nominated for six Razzie awards that year, winning one.

Robert Downey Jr. recently sat down with The New York Times Magazine for a profile in honor of the star being part of the Oppenheimer cast. During their conversation, he reflected on Dolittle, which he called a "two-and-a-half-year wound of squandered opportunity." However, he said the failure of the movie helped set him on the right track (and find new business advisors) after he was considered "bulletproof" coming out of the MCU. Read his full...

In December on Sky Cinema, Robert Downey Jr. talks to the animals, Sonic the Hedgehog has gotta go fast, and Cats arrives in all its glory.

Check out the full December line-up below…

Premieres

Dolittle (2020) – 4th December

Robert Downey Jr. followed up his long run as Marvel’s Iron Man with this family adventure film based on the kids books by Hugh Lofting. Despite a big supporting cast that includes Emma Thompson, Michael Sheen, Rami Malek and Tom Holland, it’s not brilliant. Any Downey Jr. completists will want to check it out regardless.

Emma (2020) – 5th December

Anya Taylor-Joy leads this new adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel playing Emma Woodhouse, a gal who spends so much time setting up the people she knows with ‘happily ever after’, she forgets about her own romantic possibilities.

Critical Thinking (2020) – 6th December

This 90s-set drama focuses on the story of Cuban-American teacher Mario...

Dolittle, in an odd year for movies, is going to go down as a historically big bomb. This was supposed to be Robert Downey Jr.'s next big thing after Avengers: Endgame. Unfortunately, that's not how things worked out in the end. But it wasn't for a lack of trying. To that point, Seth Rogen was brought in to try and help with rewrites. This is something that had previously been reported but has now been confirmed by the man himself.

Seth Rogen is currently promoting his new movie, An American Pickle, which arrives on HBO Max next week. While making the press rounds, he popped by Howard Stern's Sirius Xm show. Stern asked Rogen if he had ever gone in to try and help out a movie. That's when the filmmaker revealed that he did indeed step in for some rewrites on Dolittle. Here's what he had to say about it.

They always say it is a bit of a bad sign with a project when it keeps getting delayed. Sometimes, a long wait can actually turn in an unexpected classic, other times and (in honesty) more commonly a film is in production that long it begins to lose a sense of what it really is anymore. Unfortunately in the case of Dolittle, a movie based on Hugh Lofting’s beloved character and inspired by his second book “The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle”, it is a case of the latter. As the much-publicised and increasingly baffling production woes, rewrites and inflated budgeting, that supposedly were a constant in making this film, have showed in the final product, which is disappointingly ramshackle in nature.

Mega-star Robert Downey Jr. headlines his first non-mcu lead blockbuster role in years, in a part that seemed perfect, what better way for the animal communicating doctor to be re-introduced to audiences?...

‘Dolittle’, ‘Birds Of Prey’ among blockbuster openers.

The long-awaited arrival of Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite is the story to watch at the UK box office this weekend.

It grossed £205,000 from 156 sites on Monday, through a Q&a which was live-streamed to venues around the country. This placed it at number two on the chart on that day, behind only Bafta champion1917.

With other previews, the film is at £310,754 going into its first full weekend in UK cinemas. It will open on 136 screens, a sizeable number for a non-English language film, with Curzon in partnership with Studiocanal on the release.

Deploying a terrible Welsh accent and surrounded by CGI-mouthed animals, the eccentric Victorian gent comes to the aid of the sickly queen

An exotic new film accent has arrived, to be treasured alongside Dick Van Dyke’s Beverly Hills cockney in Mary Poppins, Michael Keaton’s lockjaw Mummersetshire in Much Ado About Nothing and Russell Crowe’s Geordie-Cornish-Glasgow in Robin Hood. Robert Downey Jr has had a crack at being Welsh (or has suffered a minor stroke) in Dolittle, a new version of Hugh Lofting’s novels about the eccentric Victorian gent who talks to the animals.

This is the family movie we didn’t know we needed. Because we really didn’t. The only justification of Dr Dolittle is to facilitate rude jokes in a Viz comic, but he has nonetheless made it to the screen with Eddie Murphy in 1998 and in the 1967 musical with stately Rex Harrison – a...

At the box office, 2019 ended much as 2020 began: Studios are in crisis mode as they try to figure out how to get moviegoers into theaters. This is how Universal came to back two disastrous movies like the $95 million “Cats,” Tom Hooper’s movie version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical blockbuster, and the $175 million “Dolittle,” Stephen Gaghan’s adaptation of the children’s book classic “Dr. Dolittle.”

It’s easy to armchair quarterback. What were they thinking? What was it about these two costly projects that propelled them forward? Didn’t the risks seem obvious?

Here are the reasons why smart people at studios come to back such boneheaded movies.

1. They have global slates to fill.

This is the primary impetus for someone like Donna Langley, a veteran executive who champions edgy movies like “Get Out,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Fifty Shades of Gray,” and “Queen & Slim,” to push forward...

At the box office, 2019 ended much as 2020 began: Studios are in crisis mode as they try to figure out how to get moviegoers into theaters. This is how Universal came to back two disastrous movies like the $95 million “Cats,” Tom Hooper’s movie version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical blockbuster, and the $175 million “Dolittle,” Stephen Gaghan’s adaptation of the children’s book classic “Dr. Dolittle.”

It’s easy to armchair quarterback. What were they thinking? What was it about these two costly projects that propelled them forward? Didn’t the risks seem obvious?

Here are the reasons why smart people at studios come to back such boneheaded movies.

1. They have global slates to fill.

This is the primary impetus for someone like Donna Langley, a veteran executive who champions edgy movies like “Get Out,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Fifty Shades of Gray,” and “Queen & Slim,” to push forward...

Thought it initially surpassed box office expectations, Dolittle is shaping up to be a costly endeavor for Universal Pictures – a studio still reeling from the calamitous Cats, but more on that later.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Robert Downey Jr.’s Dolittle scooped $30 million over the holiday weekend (along with a further $20M overseas), though it’ll take a small miracle for the film to recoup its $175M budget. Why, you ask? Because the CGI-powered adventure film has been torn to shreds by critics, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 19 percent. That is… problematic.

It’s the latest big-screen interpretation of Hugh Lofting’s novel series, about a doctor who possesses the ability to speak to animals. Sadly, Dolittle lacks most of the humor (and practically all of the magic) of Lofting’s 1920s classic. The result? An expensive misfire for the Powers That Be at Universal, with THR now...

by Cláudio Alves

Doctor Dolittle's many literary adventures represent Hugh Lofting's biggest claim to fame. From 1920 to 1952, the English author published around children's books focusing on that eccentric Victorian veterinarian whose studies allowed him to speak to animals. The character is something of an iconic IP, so it's no wonder Hollywood has repeatedly tried to capitalize on its popularity. However, considering all the horrible stories and behind the scenes nightmares associated with these productions, it's a wonder any studio executive even considers putting on another Dolittle extravaganza.

The first of these misbegotten adaptations is a 1967 movie musical that's a good candidate to claim the title of "worst Best Picture Oscar nominee ever"…...

Universal made a big investment in “Dolittle,” but the adventure comedy is going bust at the box office with a 4-day domestic opening weekend of $30 million and a global opening launch of $50 million. Based on a reported production budget of $175 million, multiple film finance experts tell TheWrap that they currently project a loss of $100 million for the project starring Robert Downey Jr. in his first film appearance since “Avengers: Endgame.”

That would be an even bigger loss than Universal’s other flop from December, “Cats,” which became joke fodder for online film circles, but at least had a smaller budget of around $90-95 million, which kept its financial loss estimates at around $70 million.

There is still a small possibility that “Dolittle” could find an overseas bailout. The film has yet to release in more than 20 markets, including nine more next weekend, France and the U.K. in the first week of February,...

In the latest edition of Hollywood Insider's ‘Rendezvous At The Premiere’ - we focus on 'Dolittle' premiere. Watch the cast and crew walk the red carpet and give their reactions and views on the film. For more comments, watch the full episode. Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Harry Collett, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Marion Cotillard, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Buckley, Frances de la Tour, Carmel Laniado, Jason Mantzoukas, Craig Robinson, Kasia Smutniak. Crew: Stephen Gaghan, Stephen Gaghan, Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, Thomas Shepherd, Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting, Guillermo Navarro.

In all the Dr. Dolittle movies, based on Hugh Lofting's books, the doctor can talk to animals. However, he doesn't always connect with audiences.

Universal surely hopes its version, Dolittle, out Jan. 17, has a connection more like the 1998 Eddie Murphy comedy hit Dr. Dolittle than the 1967 Rex Harrison musical bomb Doctor Dolittle. That version almost bankrupted 20th Century Fox. What went wrong? Everything.

The film cost three times its original $6 million budget. There was tension on the set as Harrison referred to co-star Anthony Newley as a "Jewish comic" and a "Cockney Jew." Newley ...

In all the Dr. Dolittle movies, based on Hugh Lofting's books, the doctor can talk to animals. However, he doesn't always connect with audiences.

Universal surely hopes its version, Dolittle, out Jan. 17, has a connection more like the 1998 Eddie Murphy comedy hit Dr. Dolittle than the 1967 Rex Harrison musical bomb Doctor Dolittle. That version almost bankrupted 20th Century Fox. What went wrong? Everything.

The film cost three times its original $6 million budget. There was tension on the set as Harrison referred to co-star Anthony Newley as a "Jewish comic" and a "Cockney Jew." Newley ...

For the first Film Club of the year, A.A. Dowd and Katie Rife are taking a look at Dolittle, the wholly unnecessary reboot of Hugh Lofting’s children’s lit series starring Robert Downey Jr. in his first post-Endgame film. Join our critics as they try to figure out who thought this was a good idea, and what the hell…...

Director Stephen Gaghan's "Dolittle" is a fantastical adventure based on the eponymous central character of a series of children's books by Hugh Lofting.

Doctor Dolittle (Downey) is a physician who shuns human patients in favour of animals, with whom he can speak in their language. He later becomes a naturalist, using his abilities to speak with animals to better understand nature and the history of the world. Impressed with his work the Queen of England (Jessie Buckley) gives him a manor in the countryside, which he uses to house all sorts of animals from far and wide.

Over the years, the good doctor falls in love with Lily (Kasia Smutnaik), an adventurous explorer, and together they have adventures around the world. But when Lily attempts to cross the ocean all alone, she perishes in a storm.

Dolittle retreats from the world and squirrels away in his British countryside manor.

Only less than three weeks into the new year and there’s a new flick opening today celebrating the centennial of a much-beloved character of children’s literature. Yes, the medical man who could “talk to the animals” arrived on the printed page, with words and pictures by Hugh Lofting, way back in 1920. It would seem that such a fantastical creation would get scooped up by the fledgling cinema arts. And in 1928 he was the star of a silent animated short by the legendary Lotte Reiniger. Aside from an early thirties NBC radio show he stayed on the shelves of bookstores for over 30 years until the execs at Twentieth Century Fox, encouraged by the “boffo” box office numbers generated by Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music, produced an epic “mega-musical” event. And though it earned two Oscars (for Best Song and Best Visual Effects) Doctor Dolittle almost bankrupted the studio.

Critics were already stunned and perplexed when Robert Downey Jr. chose to follow-up his stint in the Marvel films to star in “Dolittle,” and they’re even more confused after seeing the film that they’re calling a “calamity for the ages” and a “haphazard mess.”

Universal Pictures’ “Dolittle,” a family-friendly adventure comedy from director Stephen Gaghan based on Hugh Lofting’s beloved children’s character who can talk to animals, has just a 13% score on Rotten Tomatoes from 67 reviews. Critics who saw the film have called attention to its extensive reshoots and revisions, though for some even that doesn’t explain how much they hated it.

And perhaps unlike Universal’s other CGI-heavy and furry misfire “Cats,” “Dolittle” might not even fall into so-bad-its-good territory.

Also Read: 'Dolittle' Film Review: Robert Downey Jr. Can Talk to the Animals, But You'll Wish He Wouldn't

“Every frame, every cut feels off.

Robert Downey, Jr. talks to the animals in Dolittle, an object lesson in cinematic incoherence that would be easy to dismiss as a hot mess if it could even raise a temperature. Instead, this out-and-out disaster dissolves in a puddle of botched intentions that will leave children sad and confused and adults scratching their heads. Dr. John Dolittle, the beloved British veterinarian created by author Hugh Lofting a century ago, has been previously used and abused by Hollywood, first in 1967 with a soporific musical version starring Rex Harrison, and later...

It’s been more than half a century since Rex Harrison spoke (and sang!) to animals as author Hugh Lofting’s eloquent veterinarian, and just over two decades since Eddie Murphy gave his own goofy modern portrayal. That’s enough time for Dr. Dolittle to fade from kid audiences’ collective consciousness, and just the right amount for Lofting’s first two books to enter the public domain, which explains why a new studio — Universal, where the two earlier incarnations hailed from Fox — has opted to revive the character yet again, this time enlisting the intensely charismatic actor Robert Downey Jr. to play the title role.

Trouble is, this latest “Dolittle” is downright sloppy. Director Stephen Gaghan’s period-set overhaul of the literary classic proves to be as predictable as it is obnoxious. In its defense, the film evokes an arm’s-length connection with its cute CG creature coterie and delivers heartening messages about psychological trauma,...

Rex Harrison famously endured getting urinated upon by real sheep during the filming of the 1967 musical “Doctor Dolittle,” while the 2020 version of “Dolittle” sees Robert Downey Jr. removing bagpipes from a CG dragon’s rectum before receiving a faceful of gastric wind as a reward.

Whichever actor had it worse, it’s the audience who loses. Downey’s revival of Hugh Lofting’s legendary loquacious veterinarian, one who can communicate with any member of any species, splats onto the screen like horse dung, with few laughs and no charm. Even the actor’s legendary charisma, which this project sorely needed, gets tamped down by making a depressed widower the hero of a kiddie movie and by having that widower mumble in an accent that’s possibly Welsh, perhaps Irish, maybe Scottish, but definitely the enemy of comedy.

“Dolittle” doesn’t have a fraction of the verve of the similarly misguided “Cats,...

Robert Downey Jr. knows a thing or two about defying expectations. It can be hard to remember in the aftermath of “Avengers,” but the decision to cast him as the goateed face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was something of a head-scratcher before “Iron Man” was forged into the world-eating mega-franchise that reshaped all of moviedom in its image. So if you’re wondering why Downey agreed to star in and produce an $175 million kids movie written and directed by the man behind winsome family entertainment like “Traffic” and “Syriana”…well, maybe Downey knows that some people just need the chance to be seen in a different light.

Sadly, this isn’t the right hue for Stephen Gaghan. — albeit one that cleaves a bit closer to the dyspeptic spirit and Victorian setting of Hugh Lofting’s stories than the Eddie Murphy version ever did — Gaghan’s “Dolittle” has been assembled...

The Avengers star opts for a dodgy Welsh accent in an uninspiring if not entirely unwatchable new take on the animal-friendly doctor

Every imaginable indicator suggested that Dolittle, the umpteenth attempt to bring Hugh Lofting’s animal-obsessed doctor to the screen, would be a howling disaster. Putting aside the sheer redundancy of yet another retelling, it’s a film shot two years ago that test audiences hated, leading to reshoots the year after (with the help of a second director). That resulted in two release dates being missed, leaving us with an ominous January bow here in the Us, a month typically associated with movies that closely resemble pungent dumpster fires.

Related: Bad Boys for Life review – odd-couple Miami cops back with a blast...

The reviews for Dolittle are in — and, for the most part, critics aren't impressed.

The Universal Studios film is Robert Downey Jr.'s first big project since his retirement from playing Iron Man for Marvel Studios last year and comes from director Stephen Gaghan. Dolittle is an adaptation of the 1920s children's book by Hugh Lofting, Voyage of Doctor Dolittle.

Dolittle — which currently sits at a 17 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes — is set in Victorian England and picks up seven years after Downey's Dolittle, an eccentric doctor who can communicate with animals,...

The reviews for Dolittle are in — and, for the most part, critics aren't impressed.

The Universal Studios film is Robert Downey Jr.'s first big project since his retirement from playing Iron Man for Marvel Studios last year and comes from director Stephen Gaghan. Dolittle is an adaptation of the 1920s children's book by Hugh Lofting, Voyage of Doctor Dolittle.

Dolittle — which currently sits at a 17 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes — is set in Victorian England and picks up seven years after Downey's Dolittle, an eccentric doctor who can communicate with animals,...

Rami Malek and Robert Downey Jr. are reminiscing about the beginning of their friendship.

While Downey Jr., 54, filled in as a guest host for Tuesday’s episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he sat down for an interview with Malek, his costar in the upcoming movie Dolittle. At the beginning of their interview, the Avengers: Endgame star revealed he was a longtime fan of Malek and his work on the television series Mr. Robot.

“I was such a fan of Mr. Robot, I basically emailed you, and I was serial texting you and I was trying to FaceTime you and...

Now that Robert Downey Jr. has officially retired from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the actor has a lot more time on his hands to try new things. And while the upcoming Dolittle may seem like an unusual choice for Downey’s first post-Iron Man big screen outing, the star and his wife Susan have cited a few personal reasons for getting involved in the latest adaptation of Hugh Lofting’s fantasy book series.

Stephen Gaghan’s Dolittle was co-produced by Susan Downey, who recently sat down with her husband for an interview with Extra. As well as raising two children together, the couple have adopted an assortment of animals who live on the grounds of their Malibu home, and according to Robert, these creatures were part of the reason why he was on board to play the famed John Dolittle:

“I always go ‘Why this movie, why now, why bother?...

Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.) can talk to just about any animal out there; ducks, polar bears, squirrels, giraffes, and more, but can he talk to a dragon? The latest trailer for Universal Pictures' new adaptation of the classic literary character created by Hugh Lofting gives us Robert Downey Jr.'s latest accent, a host of talking animals voiced by celebrities, as well…...

Robert Downey Jr. had an incredible 2019, as he got to save the universe in Avengers: Endgame, sacrificing himself in the process. It was the most memorable moment of the biggest movie of the year (and of all time) and there wasn’t a dry eye in theaters around the world. So, how can he possibly top that for 2020? Well, in Dolittle he’ll be talking in a dodgy Welsh accent to a hat-wearing polar bear voiced by John Cena.

Despite Downey Jr. being a nuclear bomb of charisma, hype for Dolittle has been extremely muted so far. That may be a result of the film’s notoriously protracted development cycle, though. Downey Jr. and his production company originally announced their intentions to adapt the classic Hugh Lofting book The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle back in 2017, with Stephen Gaghan directing and the shoot taking place in early 2018 for a May 2019 release.

Robert Downey Jr. recently took to his social media to share the official character (animal) posters for Dolittle, and there were a lot of them. Arguably, the most popular one, however, didn't come from the oscar-buzzworthy actor, it came from a fan. In a recent tweet, BossLogic gave fans a look at a world in which Bradley Cooper's Rocket joined Tony once again in Rdj's first post-Avengers: Endgame film.

Along with the picture of Rocket resting on Dolittle's shoulder, BossLogic gave his own explanation for the even-more-extended universe, "Tony realised he can communicate with animals when meeting Rocket. So in Endgame, Tony had planned with Rocket to fake his death so he could live with the animals leaving the avengers behind. Except Peter, he used his Stark tech to transform him into a dog named Jip."

Following the massive success as Iron-Man, Robert Downey Jr. is taking on...

Sneak Peek the new 'fantasy adventure' comedy feature "Dolittle", directed by Stephen Gaghan, based on the character 'Doctor Dolittle' created by Hugh Lofting, starring Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man"), Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen in live action roles, plus voice cast actors Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez and Marion Cotillard, opening January 17, 2020:

"...after losing his wife seven years earlier, eccentric 'Dr. John Dolittle' (Downey Jr.)...

"...famed doctor and veterinarian of Victorian England...

"...hermits himself away behind the high walls of 'Dolittle Manor' ...

"...with only his menagerie of animals for company.

"But when 'Queen Victoria' (Jessie Buckley) falls gravely ill, a reluctant Dolittle is forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure...

"...regaining his wit and courage as he crosses old adversaries and encounters wondrous creatures.

Robert Downey Jr. can do pretty much anything he wants thanks to leading the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a decade, and it seems that the first thing he wants to do now that he's free from the mantle of Iron Man is talk to animals. The upcoming Dolittle is the latest big-screen adaptation of Hugh Lofting's series of Doctor Dolittle novels and finds Downey Jr. starring…...

Robert Downey Jr. isn't wasting any time in promoting his latest movie Dolittle. But instead of doing something a little more traditional, the former Iron Man actor decided to do something both on-brand and quite strange, as he decided to settle a dispute between two NFL mascots, given that his character is known for his ability to talk to animals.

Dolittle: doctor, adventurer, referee? @NFLonFox@RamsNFL@AtlantaFalconsDolittleMovie?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DolittleMoviepic.twitter.com/fskt4cN69r

— Robert Downey Jr (@RobertDowneyJr) October 20, 2019

The video sees Robert Downey Jr., dressed up like a referee, standing between Rampage, the mascot for the Los Angeles Rams, and Freddie, the mascot for the Atlanta Falcons. The clip was produced to both hype up the game between the two teams, as well as Dolittle. In any event, it's strange. The two mascots are quarreling and Downey steps in to try and settle things down.

Must-watch Trailers Dolittle invites you to a wonderful world: Universal shared the first look at Dolittle, the latest movie based on Hugh Lofting’s classic children’s books about a doctor who talks to animals. See Robert Downey Jr. in the title role of the family adventure, which opens January 17, 2020: Bombshell presents a real-life bad guy: Lionsgate dropped the first full Bombshell trailer featuring Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie...

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It’s a weird but wonderful world as the rebooted animal lover bangs on in a bizarre Welsh accent to his marauding menagerie

Robert Downey Jr’s life comes in easily identifiable chunks. First, he had it all – the most talented actor of his generation. Then he lost it all spectacularly in a blaze of drugs and jail sentences. Then he regained everything a hundred times over, becoming the world’s richest and most beloved star in a string of films that made heavy use of his personality. And now comes the next stage, in which he does a bizarre Welsh accent at a polar bear in a hat. That’s right, the trailer for Dolittle is out.

In Dolittle, Robert Downey Jr plays Doctor Dolittle, a man who can converse with animals. It’s based on Hugh Lofting’s book The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, and not The Story of Doctor Dolittle.

Robert Downey Jr. has a new set of superpowers — and a pair of mutton chops — in the first look at his latest movie role.

The Avengers star may have packed away his Iron Man suit, but now Downey Jr. has a knack for talking to members of the animal kingdom in Dolittle.

Based on a series of 1920s children’s books by Hugh Lofting, Dolittle follows the famed fictional physician, now a widower who keeps his animal friends as company, as he rediscovers his courage on a quest to find a cure for an ailing queen.

“I’ve been talking...

Robert Downey Jr. electrifies one of literature’s most enduring characters in a vivid reimagining of the classic tale of the man who could talk to animals: Dolittle.

In theaters January 17, 2020, watch the first trailer from Universal Pictures.

This looks fabulous and Rdj was born to play the character.

There have been other cinematic versions. The classic 1967 movie starred Rex Harrison as John Dolittle and was a Best Picture nominee.

The musical film directed by Richard Fleischer also featured Samantha Eggar, Anthony Newley and Richard Attenborough. It was adapted by Leslie Bricusse from the novel series by Hugh Lofting. It primarily fused three of the books The Story of Doctor Dolittle, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, and Doctor Dolittle’s Circus.

Check out this clip.

The movie from 1998 starred Eddie Murphy. Check it out if you get a chance.

In this updated version:

After losing his wife seven years earlier,...

Ahead of the movie's release in theaters this January, Universal Pictures has released the first official poster for Dolittle. Starring Robert Downey Jr. as the titular doctor, the poster gives us our first look at the actor in the role. In the image, Downey's Dr. Dolittle is surrounded by many of his animal friends, played by a variety of Hollywood stars. This includes Tom Holland as a dog, Octavia Spencer as a duck, Kumail Nanjiani as an ostrich, John Cena as a polar bear, Craig Robinson as a mouse, Selena Gomez as a giraffe, Marion Cotillard as a fox, and Rami Malek as a gorilla. Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Harry Collett, and Jim Broadbent will also appear in live-action roles.

He’s just not a people person. DolittleMovie?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DolittleMoviepic.twitter.com/NXJxOytqyH

— Dolittle (@DolittleMovie) DolittleMovie/status/1183141685192097793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2019

Dolittle is directed...

Robert Downey Jr. is ready for a voyage in the first trailer for Dolittle.

The film is Downey's first big project following his retirement from playing Iron Man for Marvel Studios earlier this year and comes from director Stephen Gaghan. Dolittle is an adaptation of the 1920s children's book by Hugh Lofting, Voyage of Doctor Dolittle.

Dolittle is set in Victorian England and picks up seven years after Downey's Dolittle, an eccentric doctor who can speak to animals, lost his wife. In the years since, he has sequestered himself in his home, Dolittle Manor, with only animals to ...