Robert Downey Jr. Says Oppenheimer Is the ‘Best Film I’ve Ever Been In’

Robert Downey Jr. set off an Oppenheimer-sized bomb with his latest declaration. Yes, it’s official: Oppenheimer is the actor’s crowning achievement in cinema, according to RDJ.

Now, consider the breadth of the thespian’s impressive career. Even before Downey Jr. donned the iconic Iron Man suit in 2008, and consequently became one of the most widely recognizable superheroes to grace the Silver Screen, the actor made a wide array of memorable films from Less Than Zero to Tropic Thunder to Sherlock Holmes. And none of them stack up like Christopher Nolan’s latest movie. RDJ told Deadline:

“Just going to flat out say it: This is the best film I’ve ever been in. And I cannot wait for you all to experience it.”

Nolan and Robert Downey Jr. have a mutual respect for one another, and both are members of the comic book fraternity: Nolan helmed DC’s Dark Knight Trilogy, while RDJ made his bones in Marvel’s cinematic sandbox. And it wasn’t lost on Nolan how fortunate he was to have a Hollywood A-lister with RDJ’s clout and acting range working on Oppenheimer. Nolan told the L.A. Times:

“He’s one of our great actors, and though a generation of kids know what a great movie star he is, they’ve not seen his subtlety and brilliance. I wanted to get him to do something completely different, to lose himself in another human being. When was the last time we’ve seen that? ‘Chaplin’? Directors are very aware of how talented Downey is, but because of his incredible energy that can punch through the screen, finding the right thing for him is difficult.”

Related: Robert Downey Jr.’s 20 Best Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

Robert Downey Jr. Had No Qualms About Starring in Oppenheimer

Joining the cast of Nolan’s Oppenheimer was a no-brainer for Robert Downey Jr. The actor clearly has the advantage of picking his projects without the worry of where the next payday is coming from thanks to his time portraying billionaire Tony Stark. According to Insider, Downey Jr. received a whopping $435 million for playing Tony Stark and his alter ego Iron Man in the 10 MCU films he appeared in.

The actor told IndieWire:

“At this point, you’re not doing it for the money. Were you ever doing it for the money once your baseline needs were met? Probably not. Did you think it was about money and prestige? Probably from the time I was a teenager until that illusion dissolved in front of me, leaving me in a depressive state. But then there’s the why: I don’t know why I can relate to Lewis Strauss so much, but I felt like I was meant to play this role, and I knew I’d be in capable hands. Oppenheimer has been a bit of a demarcation line for me.”

It’s still a week away from Oppenheimer‘s theatrical opening, so there aren’t any Rotten Tomatoes ratings or CinemaScores to substantiate just how good Nolan’s new venture is. But audiences and critics won’t have to wait much longer. Early screenings of Oppenheimer hit cinemas on Thursday, July 20.