This '80s Sci-Fi Comedy Classic Cast Robert Downey Jr. In An Unforgettable Supporting Role

Long before Robert Downey Jr. graced the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Iron Man, he bullied nerds in 1985's "Weird Science." Written and directed by John Hughes, the sci-fi comedy tells the story of two teenage computer geeks who use weird science to create their own dream woman. The end result, Lisa (Kelly LeBrock), is like Frankenstein's Monster, only glamorous, intelligent, and not assembled from human remains.

With this being a raunchy '80s movie, though, Lisa catches the attention of the other kids at Shermer High School. That includes Ian (Downey Jr.), a real jerk who pours slushies over the nerds' heads during routine mall visits. Anyone who only knows Downey Jr. as Iron Man might be shocked to see him act this way. However, embodying no-good bozos like Ian might have prepared the actor to play the villainous Doctor Doom in "Avengers: Doomsday."

If you've ever wanted to see Downey Jr. play horny teenagers in bizarre comedies, "Weird Science" is the movie for you. His career has seen him move on to bigger and better things since then, but Hughes' flick gave the future Marvel star an '80s hit before he became a bona fide A-lister. "Weird Science" might have become a footnote in his career, but Downey Jr.'s colleagues from the movie have fond memories of his antics.

Robert Downey Jr. rarely discusses "Weird Science," but some of his co-stars have fond memories of working with him. Recalling the experience in a Reddit AMA, Robert Rusler — who played Ian's fellow bully, Max, in the movie — revealed that the film marked the beginning of their friendship. What's more, he knew Downey Jr. was a special talent from the get-go. "Robert Downey Jr. is second to none as far as actors I have worked with," Rusler noted. "His approach as an actor, his humor, and his experience immediately drew me to make him my mentor. I learned a lot from him and he still inspires me till this day."

"Weird Science" later spawned a television series, which ran for five seasons between 1994 and 1998. However, Downey Jr. didn't return to the fold, which makes sense as he was a fully grown adult at this point in time. There has also been talk of a reboot in recent years, but the Marvel star doesn't appear to be attached to the project.