Robert Downey Jr. was in a movie.
Robert Downey Jr. . Making his acting debut at the age of five , appearing in his father 's film Pound ( 1970 ) , Downey Jr. appeared in roles associated with the Brat Pack , such as the teen sci-fi comedy Weird Science ( 1985 ) and the drama Less Than Zero ( 1987 ) . Downey Jr. 's career prospects improved when he featured in the mystery thriller Zodiac ( 2007 ) , and the satirical action comedy Tropic Thunder ( 2008 ) ; for the latter he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Marvel 's The Avengers ( classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland ) , or simply The Avengers , is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson .