Forget Iron Man, All Robert Downey Jr. Wants to Do Is Gleek Out!

Actor is jumping on Glee-driven bandwagon, signing on to star in untitled Broadway flick

By Gina Serpe Dec 06, 2010 4:45 PMTags
Robert Downey Jr.Jeffrey Ufberg/Getty Images

Tom Cruise threw down the gauntlet. Now Robert Downey Jr. is jumping right over it.

Having apparently received the meme on Hollywood's leading men trying their hands at song and dance, the already musically inclined superhero has signed on to star in a musical bound for the big screen, his rep confirmed to E! News.

So what's it all about?

Broadway, baby. The as yet untitled film follows two songwriters on the Great White Way who are forced to take jobs at a theater camp when the show intended to be their big break turns out to be a commercial and critical flop. Cue the all-singing, all-dancing plans for a comeback!

For his part, Downey seems tailor-made for the role. As a budding thespian, RDJ actually attended theater camp and has long made public his musical side, releasing an album and previously showing off his pipes in The Singing Detective and on Ally McBeal.

He and wife Susan Downey are producing the flick for Warner Bros., and are getting some cred-heavy help by enlisting the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning composing team behind Next to Normal.

We suppose we have Glee's popularity to thank for this. So, thanks Gleeks. We owe you one.