With the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War on the Horizon, I would like to take this time and reflect on the Character that has essentially opened the door for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his debut film in 2008. One of the Founding Fathers of the Avengers himself, Ironman.
Ironman has always been one of my favorite Marvel Superheroes, next to Spiderman and Wolverine. However, his stock skyrocketed when Marvel released his Movie as the very first film from their Independent Studios in May 2008. From that point, the floodgates have opened for Marvel Studios to release other movies such as Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Avengers, etc. It would change the course of Movies for Marvel Comics and the landscape of the Marvel Brand.
When it came to casting, there was nobody that was a better fit for the Tony Stark/Ironman Character than Robert Downey, Jr. I believe that he is the ultimate fit out of any other actor portraying a Superhero. From the haircut, the humor, you name it. Robert was tailor-made to play Ironman. There have been many actors who fit their roles like a glove (Chris Evans/Captain America, Hugh Jackman/Wolverine, Chadwick Boseman/Black Panther, etc), but none have fit the mold the way that RDJ has fit Ironman.
Speaking of the Original Movie, I would like to take a journey through Ironman's Movie Catalog and start off with where it all began:
Iron Man (2008):
This Movie is the Genesis of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It introduced the Origin of Tony Stark much like the Comics. The character and story were very well fleshed out without all of the extra glitz and glamor of the future MCU Films. It went straight to the point of who Ironman was. I saw this movie when it first came out and immediately became a fan. The Opening Scene where Tony builds the Ironman Armor in the Cave became an all-time favorite for me. The Different Modernized Models for Ironman's Armor are an Architect's Dream come true. The Movie was very well executed. We also see Captain America's Shield as an Easter Egg while Tony is putting his Armor on. Robert was at his best because it was something new and original. He was in his element. This movie exceeded Marvel's original expectations and built the foundation of what was to come. Marvel needed to give a strong introduction of the character, and that is exactly what they have with this movie. It was the Marvel Studios version of "Ready to Die"because of the impact that it made. Critically, it is considered by many to be the best Film of the Franchise. It propelled Ironman to another level and made him a household name among the casual mainstream fans. This movie also introduced Post-Credit Scenes, as we are first introduced to Nick Fury (Played by Samuel L. Jackson). Fury arrives at Stark's house to talk to him about the Initiative for The Avengers. The rest is History. Iron Man made $585 Million at the Box Office from a Budget of $140 Million. You could safely say that they exceeded expectations.
Iron Man 2 (2010):
I actually enjoyed this movie as well, because of how it introduced new characters. For me, the sequel was between just as good, and even better than the first movie because of the extra elements that were added. It introduced Tony/Stark's sidekick Col. James Rhodes/War Machine. Don Cheadle took over as Rhodey and was officially introduced as War Machine. I knew that it was bound to happen after I saw the first movie. Another reason why this movie holds a special place for me is that I bought my first Ironman Figure just so that I could take it with me in the Theater. I also had my Ironman shirt when I saw it. I was 21 but didn't care. We were also introduced to Natasha Romanov (Black Widow). There is more humor in this movie than before, and the chemistry flows fairly well. To some, it seems like filler, but it helps to put more of the pieces of the puzzle together. My favorite scene is where Ironman and War Machine fire off their lasers and missiles at those robots. Fury continues to approach Stark about assembling the Avengers. I also enjoyed the Post Credit Scene where Agent Coulson arrives in the middle of the Desert to find Thor's hammer. Box Office: $624 Millon Budget: $200 Million
Avengers (2012):
Here we are, where Marvel's All-Stars have finally been assembled. All of the pieces of the puzzle have been put together at this point to create a Masterpiece for Marvel. From the first two Ironman Movies to Captain America's first Movie to Thor's Movie, along with the Easter Egg clues in both Ironman films leading to this Chapter of the MCU. Nick Fury's Avengers Initiative becomes a reality, with Ironman as one of the Building Blocks to get the plan started. This Movie shows the difference in viewpoints between the Co-Leaders, Ironman and Captain America. Though they tend to clash from time to time, they still know how to come together for a greater purpose. This is where we see the debut of the Infinity Stones. My favorite scene in this Movie is when Hulk and Thor have their battle. It is only a sign of things to come in the upcoming Ragnarok Movie. You also had secondary players like War Machine, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Vision and Scarlet Witch. I also enjoyed the Final Battle against Loki. This movie was very significant because it succeeded where the X-Men Franchise fell short, and that was continuity. Box Office: $1.5 Billion Budget: $220 Million
Iron Man 3 (2013):
This was the story revolving around the Extremis storyline from 2010. Tony receives the Extremis Serum which is an experimental regenerative treatment to allow recovery from crippling injuries. During the movie, Tony goes through panic attacks. Out of anxiety, he builds several dozen Iron Man suits, which causes friction between him and Pepper Potts. A disabled scientist named Aldrich Killian offers Tony Stark and Maya Hansen (Extremis Inventor) a place in his company Advanced Idea Mechanics, but Stark turns him down. Killian later becomes the Mandarin. After defeating the Mandarin, Tony destroys the other Iron Man suits. The shrapnel is later removed from his heart. With the help of Extremis, Tony is able to put his suit together through The Movie did very well at the Box Office as usual and even received an Oscar Nomination. However, it was not the biggest critically received film in Ironman's Catalog. Still, it was a really nice movie. Box Office: $1.2 Billion Budget: $200 Million
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015):
The much-awaited sequel to the Blockbuster that featured Marvel's All-Stars. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner take the Artificial Intelligence from the scepter's gem and use it to create the "Ultron" global defense program. Little did anyone know that they created a monster that would go on a mission to eradicate humanity. Ultron even uses a line from Pinocchio when he says "No Strings on me". Great Disney reference since they have the rights to Marvel. In his mission of destruction, Ultron recruits Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch since they hold Stark responsible for the murder of their parents. The scene where Scarlet Witch plays mind games to make the Avengers fight each other was unbelievable. However, the scene where Iron Man unleashes his Hulkbuster Armor was my favorite. I also like how Ultron was portrayed with his fatalistic ideas. Ultron goes to the base of arms dealer Ulysses Klaue to retrieve Wakandan Vibranium. The movie plays true to the Comics as Ultron creates Vision. Ultron even created his own army of robots to destroy humanity. He is definitely Marvel's brainiac. The Avengers would go on to defeat Ultron and his army. This becomes another layer in the upcoming Infinity War as Thanos is shown at the very end putting on the Infinity Gauntlet to retrieve the stones. Box Office: $1.4 Billion Budget: $316 Million
Captain America: Civil War (2016):
The Battle lines had been drawn. Marvel's Civil War. This movie blew up Social Media with the hashtags #TeamCap and #TeamIronman. Which side of the War were you on? I was #TeamIronman all the way, and this was the most loaded Captain America movie I have ever seen when it comes to characters. We saw the MCU debut of Black Panther as well as Spider-Man. Spidey never appeared in movies exclusively from Marvel Studios, so this was a big deal. The story starts off with a brainwashed James "Bucky" Barnes (Winter Soldier) killing Tony Stark's parents in December 1991 on their way to a Christmas Vacation. Barnes was dispatched at a Hydra base to intercept a car carrying the super-soldier serum. Fast forward to present day, Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon and Scarlet Witch stop Crossbones from stealing a biological weapon from a lab in Lagos, Nigeria. U.S. Secretary of State Agent Thaddeus Ross informs the Avengers that the United Nations will pass the Sovokia Accords (military/law enforcement deployment) which would oversee and restrict the team. The Avengers would become divided. Iron Man approves of the oversight because of his role in Ultron's creation that led to Sokovia's destruction. He also carried the guilt of when a woman told him about how her son was killed in Sokovia during their battle with Ultron. Stark is in a state of regret and wants to undo the damage that he did in the past. Meanwhile, Cap wants to uphold what the Avengers stand for. This movie was a clash of philosophies. On Iron Man's Team, we had War Machine, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Black Widow, and Vision. For Cap, we have Falcon, Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye. The Movie was very well executed with action scenes that stood out throughout the film. My favorites were the Airport Battle and the Final Battle with Iron Man vs Captain America and Winter Soldier. Iron Man was understandably angry, but Cap was trying to convince him that Bucky was brainwashed and framed for the bombing in Vienna. If Black Panther wasn't sidetracked, I believe it would've been different. Plus, this was Cap's movie. The movie brought in over $1.1 Billion in the Box Office on a $250 Million Budget, making it one of the highest grossing movies of all-time.
Conclusion: Iron Man is the Golden Boy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). From a Box Office Standpoint, he is the Standard by which other Marvel Heroes are measured by. At a time where Marvel had their backs against the wall, they invested everything in Iron Man, and he delivered. The first movie was a Worldbeater in the world of Superhero Movies. Iron Man has been the Centerpiece of the MCU, much like Biggie Smalls was for Bad Boy, LL Cool J for Def Jam and Dr. Dre for Death Row. He has become in many ways to the MCU what Magic Johnson was to the NBA during the 80s. Not to hyperbolize things, but that is the way that I see it. His presence in the MCU elevates those around him. Marvel's highest grossing movies have had his involvement. The Impact of the Iron Man franchise has turned what many consider a B+ Level character into an A+ Icon. This role has saved Robert Downey Jr.'s career and in many ways, his life and turned him into a Megastar. That is why his departure from the MCU after Infinity War will leave a Giant void that would have to be filled in some way. Iron Man has carried the torch for the MCU very well. He may not be the direct face of the entire Marvel Universe (Spider-Man), but he has been the most crucial when it comes to their movies.
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