Brandon T. Jackson has simple hopes for Tropic Thunder: he hopes the move doesn’t send him to Hell.

“Hopefully everybody doesn’t get too pissed off and we all can have a good time and laugh together,” Jackson said, mostly referring to the role of Robert Downey Jr., portrays a white actor in black face for the film.

“Like people may say blackface, but no, Robert becomes a black man in the movie and the crazy thing about it, I’m not used to seeing Robert white,” Jackson told MTV. “I mean this is weird to me. I’m confused just like you. When I see him as ‘Iron Man,’ I love it because I’m used to seeing him as a black man.”

Robert Downey Jr. has a busy summer ahead. He’ll be portraying Iron Man… and a black man.

We wonder which was the biggest challenge for this actor.

As previously reported, Downey stars in the Ben Stiller-directed comedy, Tropic Thunder. But it may be difficult to recognize. The following poster for the movie should give you an idea why:

Ben Stiller is directing his first film in years, the comedy Tropic Thunder, due out on July 11. The actor recently discussed the film with ComingSoon.net…

ComingSoon.net: It’s been seven years since you directed a movie. Why was now the time go back and what was it about this idea that made you want to direct again?
Ben Stiller: Well, this movie I’ve been working on for a while. I had the idea for the movie like twenty years ago when I was doing “Empire of the Sun” in 1987 because at that time, that’s when all these Vietnam movies were being made and my friends and I were going on auditions for these Vietnam movies and my friends were getting them and going away to fake boot camps.

It seemed like there was a time when all actors were going away to fake boot camp and talking about these incredible experiences that they had and how it really changed their lives and there was something there that seemed funny to me. Maybe it was because I wasn’t getting parts in those movies, but I was like, “Oh, wow. You’re going off and getting all of that. What about people who actually go to war?”

The actors were like owning this experience as if it was like this real and incredible experience. I’m sure that it was a great experience, but it wasn’t like actually going to real boot camp.

So that was percolating in my head and I thought maybe I’d do a short or a sketch about actors who go away and do Vietnam films and come back and are forgotten, trying to parallel the veteran’s experiences. That didn’t seem funny at all. (laughter) So I put that away.

Then the idea came that it might be cool to have a movie about a bunch of actors that get stuck out in the jungle on a movie and are caught in this real situation, so literally, for the last ten years I worked on a first act of it, about ten years ago, and then Justin [Theroux] came on about eight years ago. I said, “Come on, lets work this.”

Then we brought on Etan Cohen about four years ago, so literally over the last ten years we’ve been working on the script in different and various forms. I would go away for a few weeks on vacation or something and work on it.

Read the complete interview with Stiller now.

When Tropic Thunder hits theaters this summer - on August 15, to be exact - viewers are in for what looks to be a comedy treat.

There’s also in for a surprise.

Check out the photo below. You recognize Ben Stiller, right? And Jack Black, in the background? But who is that famous actor in the middle? (Here’s a hint: he’s actually white!)

Yes, folks, that’s Robert Downey Jr.

In Tropic Thunder, the actor plays Kirk Lazarus, a very serious Oscar-winning actor cast in the most expensive Vietnam War film ever. There’s a problem with Lazarus’s character, Sgt. Osiris, though: hewas originally written as black.

Therefore, Lazarus decides to dye his skin and play the part authentically. Funny? Yes. Dangerous? That’s an understatement.

”If it’s done right, it could be the type of role you called Peter Sellers to do 35 years ago,” Downey told Entertainment Weekly. ”If you don’t do it right, we’re going to hell.”

The simple fact that Tom Cruise is making a cameo in the upcoming Ben Stiller comedy Tropic Thunder might not be major news.

But check out the look this actor will be sporting in the film:

Cruise is believed to be playing a studio mogul in the movie, which also features appearances from Matthew McConaughey, Katie Holmes and Tobey Maguire.

With a cast including Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, and Matthew McConaughey, Tropic Thunder has the pedigree to become a major success.

“It’s about a bunch of movies stars, and a rapper/actor, who get cast in this Vietnam War movie and get sent over to Vietnam to make this film,” said Stiller, who directs and stars in the flick.

“[Their movie] is going over budget,” he said to MTV, “and the director is freaking out because they’re not getting the reality [look] that they need. So he takes them off into the jungle, and the actors get stuck out in the jungle for real.”

Well, okay then.

“I play a guy named Rob Slolom, who is the executive in charge of the movie within the movie Tropic Thunder,” said actor Danny McBride, pointing to his mullet. “I get to rock this so it should be a good time.”

“The movie is a funny Apocalypse Now,” Stiller said of the tone he’s going for.

Works for us.