Robert Downey Jr. Hails Timothee Chalamet as One of the Greats Ahead of Dune Release

So, in case you weren’t already convinced that Timothée Chalamet is officially A-list—like, not just trendy for the social media crowd, but actual, bankable, ‘face on the movie poster’ famous—Robert Downey Jr. just weighed in and called it for everyone. And this isn’t just any compliment; this is Tony Stark himself giving Chalamet the ‘one of the greats’ label. That’s a pretty high bar, and considering Downey has been in the business forever (remember, the man got an Oscar nod for Chaplin when he was barely 30), it actually means something.

Here’s how it all played out: Downey told Variety about a conversation he had back in the day with director Norman Jewison, when he was working on Only You. Downey basically asked Jewison, straight up, if he considered him “one of the greats.” Jewison shot him down (gently, but still): ‘Well, Mr. Downey, that remains to be seen.’ Fast-forward to the present, Downey brings up that story at a public event—this time, talking about Chalamet—and flips the verdict. In what was maybe his most dramatic public love letter ever, Downey says (in front of a crowd):

‘As of Marty Supreme, it no longer remains to be seen. Let’s hear it for Timothée Chalamet.’

Basically: Downey is calling it settled—Chalamet is already one of the all-timers, at least in his book.

Box Office Mojo and Awards Heat

This isn’t just Hollywood back-patting, either; Chalamet has had a ridiculous run. He’s managed to pull off the very rare combo of critical darling and commercial hit. Most actors don’t get both, especially so early. With Marty Supreme doing big numbers and Chalamet landing a Golden Globe for his troubles (Oscars are looking likely, by the way), the whole ‘Is he a real movie star?’ debate feels officially done.

Chalamet’s career so far is almost suspiciously well-planned: he leads Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies, wins critics with indies, takes a bizarre-yet-smart swing with Wonka, then tops it with back-to-back hits at the box office, including Marty Supreme. Whatever else is happening in the industry, Chalamet’s picking the kind of roles and getting the kind of attention that used to be reserved for the Depps and DiCaprios of the world.

Next Up: Clash of the Blockbusters

Now, the movie release calendar is setting up something interesting: Dune 3 and Avengers: Doomsday (with Downey himself making waves) are both slated for December 18, 2026.

• Dune 3: Finishes Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the sci-fi classic. Chalamet leads, obviously. Should have major fan interest and director buzz.
• Avengers: Doomsday: Another MCU event movie, which means it’ll probably be massive no matter what critics say.

The internet is already asking if these two movies facing off could give us another Barbenheimer moment. If you somehow forgot, that was the weird pink-and-radiation double feature of Barbie and Oppenheimer that weirdly became not just box office gold, but a full-on meme and cultural event.

Honestly, though? Not likely. There are a few reasons. Barbenheimer worked because the movies were polar opposites—one was existential nuclear doom, the other was plastic-fantasy feminism—and the audiences overlapped in unexpected ways. Dune 3 and Doomsday are both big-budget sci-fi with lots of explosions, sand, and punchy one-liners. Enjoyable? No question. But it’s hard to see people dressing up as sandworms and Iron Man on the same day just for the gag.

If I had to make a prediction: Doomsday will probably open bigger just because, well, it’s the Avengers. Expect all the Marvel faithful to show up early. Dune 3, on the other hand, could have the longer legs, especially if word of mouth is strong (as it was for the last two).

So: Downey says Chalamet is ‘one of the greats’? I’m not arguing. If anything, the whole industry is finally catching up to what fans have been saying for years.

What do you think? Is Chalamet the new king of Hollywood, or are we all getting swept up in the hype? Drop a comment.