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'{{otheruses|Iron Man (disambiguation)}} {{pp-move-indef}} {{Infobox film | name = Iron Man | image = Ironmanposter.JPG | caption = Theatrical poster | alt = | director = [[Jon Favreau]] | producer = [[Avi Arad]]<br />[[Kevin Feige]] | screenplay = [[Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby|Mark Fergus<br />Hawk Ostby]]<br />Art Marcum<br />Matt Holloway<br />[[John August]] | based on = {{basedon|''[[Iron Man]]''|[[Stan Lee]]<br />[[Larry Lieber]]<br />[[Don Heck]]<br />[[Jack Kirby]]}} | starring = [[Robert Downey, Jr.]]<br />[[Terrence Howard]]<br />[[Jeff Bridges]]<br />[[Gwyneth Paltrow]] <!-- First 4 top billed actors from poster only --> | music = [[Ramin Djawadi]] | theme = [[Black Sabbath]] | cinematography = [[Matthew Libatique]] | editing = Dan Lebental | studio = [[Marvel Studios]]<br />Fairview Entertainment | distributor = [[Paramount Pictures]] | released = {{Film date|2008|5|2}} | runtime = 126 minutes<!-- imdb 126, mojo 2 hours and 6 --> | country = {{Film US}} | language = English | budget = $140&nbsp;million<ref name="boxmojo" /> | gross = $585,174,222<ref name="boxmojo" /> | followed by = ''[[Iron Man 2]]'' }}<!-- Note: lead does not require cites, as it summarizes uncontroversial information cited within the article body.--> '''''Iron Man''''' is a 2008 American [[superhero film]] based on the [[Marvel Comics]] character [[Iron Man|of the same name]]. Directed by [[Jon Favreau]], the film stars [[Robert Downey, Jr.]] as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a [[Iron Man's armor#Live-action films|powered exoskeleton]] and becomes the technologically advanced [[superhero]], [[Iron Man]]. [[Gwyneth Paltrow]] plays his personal assistant [[Pepper Potts]], [[Terrence Howard]] plays military liaison [[War Machine|James Rhodes]] and [[Jeff Bridges]] plays Stark Industries executive [[Iron Monger|Obadiah Stane]]. The film was in development since 1990 at [[Universal Studios]], [[20th Century Fox]], and [[New Line Cinema]], before [[Marvel Studios]] reacquired the rights in 2006. Marvel put the project in production as its first self-financed film. Favreau signed on as director, aiming for a naturalistic feel, and he chose to shoot the film primarily in California, rejecting the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] setting of the comics to differentiate the film from numerous superhero films set in New York City-esque environments. During filming, the actors were free to create their own dialogue because pre-production was focused on the story and action. Rubber and metal versions of the armors, created by [[Stan Winston]]'s company, were mixed with [[computer-generated imagery]] to create the title character. [[Hasbro]] and [[Sega]] sold merchandise, and [[product placement]] deals were made with [[Audi]], [[Burger King]], [[LG]] and [[7-Eleven]]. Reviews were very positive, particularly praising Downey's performance.<ref name="yamato">{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/iron_man/ |title=Iron Man Movie Reviews |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc |accessdate=2008-06-26}}</ref> The [[American Film Institute]] selected the film as one of the ten best of the year. Downey, Favreau and Paltrow returned in the sequel ''[[Iron Man 2]]'', released on May 7, 2010. Downey also made a [[cameo appearance]] as Stark in ''[[The Incredible Hulk (film)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' and is scheduled to appear in the 2012 crossover film ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]]''. The film is the first installment of the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]]. Another sequel, ''[[Iron Man 3]]'' is set for a 2013 release, with Downey reprising the role of Tony Stark. ==Plot== [[Iron Man|Tony Stark]] ([[Robert Downey, Jr.]]) is the head of [[Stark Industries]], a major military contracting company he inherited from his father. Even though Stark is an inventive genius and [[child prodigy|wunderkind]], he is also a [[Player (dating)#Male promiscuity|playboy]]. One day, while his father's old partner, [[Iron Monger|Obadiah Stane]] ([[Jeff Bridges]]), takes care of day-to-day operations, Stark flies to [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|war-torn Afghanistan]] with his friend and [[Civil-Military Co-operation#Doctrine|military liaison]], [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[War Machine|James Rhodes]] a.k.a. "Rhodey" ([[Terrence Howard]]), for a demonstration of Stark Industries' new weapon, the "Jericho" [[cluster bomb|missile]]. However, Stark is critically wounded in an assault and finds himself the prisoner of an Afghan terrorist group known as the [[Mandarin (comics)#Films|Ten Rings]]. Shrapnel in his chest is kept in place by an [[electromagnet]] built by fellow captive [[Ho Yinsen|Dr. Yinsen]] ([[Shaun Toub]]), which will keep it from entering his heart and killing him. The Ten Rings leader, Raza ([[Faran Tahir]]), offers Stark his freedom in exchange for building a Jericho missile for the group, but Tony and Yinsen agree he will not keep his word. During his three months of captivity, Stark and Yinsen secretly build a powerful electric generator called an [[Iron Man's armor#Arc reactor|arc reactor]], which will power Stark's electromagnet, and then begin to build a [[Iron Man's armor#Live-action films|suit of armor]] to escape. The Ten Rings attack the workshop when they discover what Stark is doing, and Yinsen fights back to buy Stark time as the suit powers up. The armored Stark battles his way out of the caves and finds the dying Yinsen, who tells him not to waste his life. Stark burns the terrorists' munitions and flies away to crash in the desert, destroying the suit. After being rescued by Rhodes, Stark returns home and announces that his company will no longer manufacture weapons. Stane advises Stark that this may ruin Stark Industries and his father's legacy. In his home workshop, Stark builds an improved version of his suit as well as a more powerful arc reactor for his chest. When Stark makes his first public appearance after his return, reporter [[Christine Everhart]] ([[Leslie Bibb]]) informs him that Stark Industries' weapons, including the Jericho, were recently delivered to the Ten Rings and are being used to attack Yinsen's home village. He also learns that Stane is trying to succeed him as head of the company. Enraged, Stark dons his new armor and flies to Afghanistan where he saves Yinsen's village and turns Raza over to the villagers. While flying home, Stark is shot at by two [[F-22 Raptor]] fighter jets. He calls Rhodes on his cell phone and reveals his secret identity in an attempt to get the attack called off. Meanwhile, the Ten Rings find the pieces of Stark's prototype suit and meet with Obadiah, who has the group eliminated and has the company's engineers [[reverse engineering|reverse engineer]] a new suit from the wreck. Seeking to find any other weapons delivered to the Ten Rings, Stark sends his assistant [[Pepper Potts|Virginia "Pepper" Potts]] ([[Gwyneth Paltrow]]) to [[Hacker (computer security)|hack]] into the company computer system from Obadiah's office. She discovers Obadiah has been supplying terrorists with Stark weaponry and hired the Ten Rings to kill Stark, but the group reneged on the deal upon discovering who the target was. Pepper, soon after, meets with agent [[Phil Coulson]] ([[Clark Gregg]]) of the [[S.H.I.E.L.D.|"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division"]], a [[counter-terrorism]] agency, to inform him of Obadiah's activities. Stane's scientists cannot duplicate Stark's arc reactor, so Stane ambushes Stark in his home, using a sonic device to paralyze him and take his arc reactor. Left to die, Stark crawls to his lab and retrieves his original reactor. Potts and several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents attempt to arrest Stane, but are attacked by him in his now functional [[Iron Monger|suit]]. Stark races to the rescue and fights Stane, but is quickly overpowered without his new reactor to run his suit at full capacity. Stark lures him atop the Stark Industries building and instructs Potts to overload the large arc reactor in the building. This unleashes a massive electrical surge that knocks Stane unconscious, causing him and his armor to fall into the exploding reactor. The next day, the press has dubbed Stark in his armor as "Iron Man". Agent Coulson gives him a cover story to explain the events of the night and Stane's death. At a [[press conference]], Stark starts to tell the cover story given to him by S.H.I.E.L.D., but then announces that he is Iron Man. In a [[post-credits scene]], S.H.I.E.L.D. Director [[Ultimate Nick Fury|Nick Fury]]<!-- NOT Ultimate Nick Fury, the similarity between Ultimate and Movie Fury is covered elsewhere in the article --> ([[Samuel L. Jackson]]) visits Stark at home, and, noting that Iron Man is not "the only superhero in the world", says he wants to discuss the "[[The Avengers (2012 film)|Avenger Initiative]]". ==Cast== *[[Robert Downey, Jr.|Robert Downey Jr.]]<!-- Do not add a comma to his name, as per his own press, there is no comma.--> as [[Iron Man|Anthony "Tony" Stark / Iron Man]]: An [[industrialist]], genius inventor, and consummate playboy, he is CEO of [[Stark Industries]], a chief weapons manufacturer for the U.S. military. The son of a [[Manhattan Project]] engineer, [[Howard Stark]], he is an engineering [[child prodigy|prodigy]], having built a circuit board at four years old and an engine at six, as well as graduating from [[MIT]] ''[[Latin honors|summa cum laude]]'' at the age of 17. He takes charge of Stark Industries at the age of 21 from Stane, who had been in control of the company since Howard's death. Favreau had planned to cast a newcomer in the role,<ref>{{cite news|last=Stax |title=The Unknown Iron Man |work=[[IGN]] |date= May 24, 2006 |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/709/709941p1.html |accessdate=2006-12-06}}</ref> but ultimately chose Downey (a fan of the comic)<ref name="bond">{{cite news|last=Bowles |first=Scott |title=First look: Downey forges a bond with ''Iron Man'' role |work=USA Today |date=2007-04-26 |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-04-26-iron-man_N.htm?csp=34 |accessdate=2007-12-13}}</ref> because he felt the actor's past made him an appropriate choice for the part. "The best and worst moments of Robert's life have been in the public eye," the director explained. "He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That's Tony Stark. Robert brings a depth that goes beyond a comic book character who is having trouble in high school, or can't get the girl."<ref name="bond"/> Favreau also felt Downey could make Stark a "likable asshole", but also depict an authentic emotional journey once he won over the audience.<ref name="fire">{{cite news|last=Allsletter |first=Rob |title=Iron Man's Jon Favreau |publisher=Comics Continuum |date=2008-03-03 |url=http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0803/03/jonfavreau.htm |accessdate=2008-03-04}}</ref> Downey had an office next to Favreau during pre-production, which allowed him greater involvement in the screenwriting process.<ref name="mask">{{cite news|last=Ambrose |first=Tom |title=The Man In The Iron Mask |page=69 |publisher=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=2007-07-26}}</ref> He brought a deeper sense of humor to the film not present in previous drafts of the script.<ref name="fly">{{cite news|last=Hewitt |first=Chris |title=Super Fly Guy |publisher=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=April 2008 |pages=66–72}}</ref> He explained, {{bquote|"What I usually hate about these [superhero] movies [is] when suddenly the guy that you were digging turns into [[Dudley Do-Right]], and then you're supposed to buy into all his 'Let's go do some good!' That [[Eliot Ness]]-in-a-cape-type thing. What was really important to me was to not have him change so much that he's unrecognizable. When someone used to be a schmuck and they're not anymore, hopefully they still have a sense of humor."<ref>{{cite news|last=Carroll |first=Larry |title=''Iron Man'' Star Robert Downey Jr. Talks About ''Incredible Hulk'' Cameo, Controversial ''Tropic Thunder'' Pics |publisher=MTV |date=2008-03-18 |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1583534/story.jhtml |accessdate=2008-03-18}}</ref>}} To prepare, Downey spent five days a week [[weight training]] and practiced martial arts to get into shape,<ref name="bond"/> which he said benefited him because "it's hard not to have a personality meltdown [...] after about several hours in that suit. I'm calling up every therapeutic moment I can think of to just get through the day."<ref name="pump">{{cite news|last=Shapiro |first=Marc |title=Pumping Iron |work=[[Starlog]] |date=April 2008 |pages=47–50}}</ref> [[Image:Terrence Howard, USAF.jpg|thumb|Howard preparing for the role by riding an [[F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16]] flight simulator]] *[[Terrence Howard]] as [[War Machine|Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes]]: A friend of Stark's, and the liaison between Stark Industries and the U.S. Air Force in the department of acquisitions. Favreau cast Howard because he felt he could play [[War Machine]] in a sequel.<ref name="trilogy">{{cite news|author=Quint |title=Quint visits the IRON MAN production offices! Art! Favreau speaks about sequels (?!?), casting and more!!! |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |date=2007-02-09 |url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31525 |accessdate=2007-02-10}}</ref> Howard prepared for the role by visiting [[Nellis Air Force Base]] on March 16, 2007, where he ate with the pilots and observed [[HH-60 Pave Hawk]] rescue helicopters and [[F-22 Raptor]]s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rolfsen |first=Bruce |url=http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/03/airforce_ironman_070321w/ |title=''Iron Man'' pilot to hit big screen |publisher=[[Air Force Times]] |date=2007-03-21 |accessdate=2007-03-22}}</ref> While Rhodes is roguish in the comics after he met Stark, his earlier disciplinarian character forms [[double act|a dynamic]] with Stark, and he is unsure whether or not Stark's actions are acceptable. "Rhodey is completely disgusted with the way Tony has lived his life, but at a certain point he realizes that perhaps there is a different way," Howard said. "Whose life is the right way; is it the strict military life, or the life of an independent?"<ref name="pump"/> Howard and his father are Iron Man fans, partly because Rhodes was one of the few black superheroes when he was a child.<ref>{{cite news |last=Worley |first=Rob M. |title=''Iron Man'': Terrence Howard lives the dream |publisher=Comics2Films |date=2008-04-22 |url=http://www.comics2film.com/index.php?a=story&b=28467 |accessdate=2008-04-22}}</ref> He was a Downey fan since he saw him in ''[[Weird Science (film)|Weird Science]]'', and they competed physically on set: "Robert and his competitive ass almost tore my shoulder trying to keep up with him. Because I'm 40 or 50 pounds heavier than him, so I'm in there lifting and I pushed up about 225 pounds [102 kg] and knocked it out 10 times. Robert wanted to go about 235 [106 kg], and he did it. So I'm going to push it up to about 245 [111 kg]. I took him out running and gave him some nice cramps. He couldn't walk after a couple of days."<ref>{{cite news|last=Rotten |first=Ryan |title=Iron Man: The Set Visit - Terrence Howard |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date=2008-04-01 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/featuresnews.php?id=7001 |accessdate=2008-04-01}}</ref> *[[Jeff Bridges]] as [[Iron Monger|Obadiah Stane]]: Stark's business second-in-command and eventual antagonist. Bridges read the comics as a boy and liked Favreau's modern, realistic approach. He shaved his head and grew a gray beard for the role, which was something he had wanted to do for some time. Bridges [[google (verb)|google]]d the [[Book of Obadiah]], and he was surprised to learn retribution is a major theme in that particular book of the Bible, something which Stane represents.<ref name="notes">{{cite web|title=Notes |url=http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/ |accessdate=2008-10-27}} Click "About the film" to access.</ref> Many of Stane's scenes were cut out to focus more on Stark, but the writers felt Bridges's performance allowed the application of "less is more".<ref>{{cite news|first=Shawn |last=Adler |title=''Iron Man'' Co-Writers Discuss Their Favorite Deleted Scenes, Plus An Exclusive DVD Bonus Clip |work=MTV Splash Page |date=2008-09-30 |url=http://splashpage.mtv.com/2008/09/30/iron-man-co-writers-discuss-their-favorite-deleted-scenes-plus-an-exclusive-dvd-bonus-clip/ |accessdate=2008-10-14}}</ref> *[[Gwyneth Paltrow]] as [[Pepper Potts|Virginia "Pepper" Potts]]: Stark's personal assistant and budding love interest. Paltrow asked Marvel to send her any comics that they would consider relevant to her understanding of the character, who she considered to be very smart, levelheaded, and grounded. She said she liked "the fact that there's a sexuality that's not blatant." Favreau wanted Potts' and Stark's relationship to be reminiscent of a 1940s comedy, something which Paltrow considered to be fun in a sexy, yet innocent way.<ref>{{cite news |last=Douglas |first=Edward |title=Gwyneth Paltrow Plays Pepper Potts |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date= May 01, 2008 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=7150 |accessdate= May 02, 2008}}</ref> *[[Shaun Toub]] as [[Ho Yinsen|Dr. Yinsen]]: Stark's fellow captive. In the comics, Yinsen is a Chinese physicist, but in the film, he comes from an Afghan village called Gulmira, which is one of the aspects of the modernization of the Iron Man mythos for the movie. *[[Faran Tahir]] as Raza: The leader of the Ten Rings. Tahir is a fan of the comics,<ref name="notes" /> and wanted to bring humanity to the henchman. "I tried to find ways to show that although he may be the bad guy, there might be a moment or just a hint of vulnerability at times, where he hasn't made the right calculations or there's a certain amount of doubt. Jon was very receptive to that kind of layering."<ref>{{cite news|last=Spelling |first=Ian |title=Iron Villain Not Black, White |publisher=[[Sci Fi Wire]] |date=2008-04-29 |url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=53090&type=0 |accessdate=2008-04-29 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080701045740/http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=53090&type=0 |archivedate = July 1, 2008}}</ref> *[[Paul Bettany]] voices [[Edwin Jarvis|JARVIS]]: Stark's personal [[Artificial Intelligence]] computer program, which assists him in the construction and programming of the Iron Man suit. The name of the character is a reference to the comic book character [[Edwin Jarvis]], Stark's butler. In [[Peter David]]'s novelization of the film, Jarvis is revealed as an acronym for "Just A Rather Very Intelligent System".<ref>David, Peter. ''Iron Man''. Del Ray (2008).</ref> Bettany did the part as a favor to Favreau (having worked with him on ''[[Wimbledon (film)|Wimbledon]]'') and said he did not know what film he was recording the lines for during his two-hour recording session.<ref>{{cite news|first=Scott |last=Huver |title=Paul Bettany on Voicing Iron Man's Jarvis |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date= May 16, 2008 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=7224 |accessdate= May 17, 2008}}</ref> *[[Leslie Bibb]] as [[Christine Everhart]]: A reporter for ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''. She is a minor character in the comics, where she works as a reporter for ''[[The Daily Bugle]]'' and has investigated Tony Stark.<ref>{{cite web|title= Christine Everhart (Daily Bugle, Iron Man character) |publisher=The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe |date= May 10, 2008 |url=http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/everhartchristine.htm |accessdate=2009-12-14}}</ref> *[[Clark Gregg]] appears throughout the film as [[Phil Coulson|Agent Coulson]] of [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]],<ref>{{cite news|accessdate= May 08, 2008 |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/person/28638/Clark-Gregg |title=Clark Gregg |work=The New York Times | first=Julie | last=Bloom}}</ref> and appears as the same character in ''[[Iron Man 2]]'' and ''[[Thor_film|Thor]].'' [[Samuel L. Jackson]] appears as the agency's head, [[Nick Fury]], following the credits.<!-- As per the above unlinking from Ultimate Nick Fury. Best link is to the main character article, where the commonality can be found. Also mentioning the fact in the next sentence--> Jackson's face was used, with his permission, as the model for that of the [[Ultimate Nick Fury|version of Nick Fury]] in Marvel's [[Ultimate Marvel]] imprint.<ref>{{cite web|title=Samuel L. Jackson |work=Copyright Kamal Larsuel, 2005 |url=http://www.samuelljackson.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=44 |accessdate=August 20, 2006}}</ref> Other cameos include Iron Man co-creator [[Stan Lee]] (whom Stark mistakes for [[Hugh Hefner]] at a party),<ref>{{cite news|last=Goldman |first=Eric |title=Stan Lee's Further Superhero Adventures |work=[[IGN]] | page = 3 |date= May 04, 2007 |url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/785/785824p3.html |accessdate= May 14, 2007}}</ref> and director [[Jon Favreau]] as Stark's [[bodyguard]] and [[chauffeur]], [[Happy Hogan]].<ref name="fly"/> [[Rage Against the Machine]] and [[Audioslave]] guitarist [[Tom Morello]], who provides additional guitar music for the film, has a brief cameo as a terrorist guard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= May 08, 2008 |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=96438 |title=RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE Guitarist Faces ''Iron Man'' |publisher=[[Roadrunner Records]] |date= May 06, 2008}}</ref> [[Jim Cramer]], star of CNBC's ''[[Mad Money]]'' appeared as himself, commenting on the investment opportunities ("Sell, Sell, Sell") of Stark Industries.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= May 08, 2008 |url=http://www.cnbc.com/id/24427046 |title=Cramer In ''Iron Man'' |publisher=[[CNBC]] |date= May 02, 2008 |last=Dellaverson |first=Carlo}}</ref> [[Rapping|Rap]]per [[Ghostface Killah]] cameoed in a scene where Stark briefly stays in [[Dubai]] while returning to Afghanistan, but it was cut from the theatrical release for pacing reasons.<ref name="depth">{{cite news|last=Douglas |first=Edward |title=Exclusive: An In-Depth Iron Man Talk with Jon Favreau |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date=2008-04-29 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=7133 |accessdate=2008-04-29}}</ref> ==Production== ===Development=== In April 1990, [[Universal Studios]] bought the rights to develop ''Iron Man'' for the big screen.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ryan |first=James |title=Bam! Pow! Heroes take over the silver screen |publisher=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |date=1990-04-14}}</ref> [[Stuart Gordon]] was to direct Universal's low-budget film.<ref name="pump"/> By February 1996, [[20th Century Fox]] acquired the rights from Universal.<ref>{{cite news|last=Smith |first=Andrew |title=Gen X kids not bad on screen |publisher=[[The Commercial Appeal]] |date=1996-02-18}}</ref> In January 1997, actor [[Nicolas Cage]] expressed interest in being cast for the lead role,<ref>{{cite news|title=Film Clips Column |publisher=[[The Journal Gazette]] |date=1997-01-03}}</ref> and in September 1998, actor [[Tom Cruise]] had expressed interest in producing as well as starring in the film debut of Iron Man.<ref>{{cite news|last=Radford |first=Bill |title=Big screen gaining new ground as venue for comics creations |publisher=[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]] |date=1998-09-06}}</ref> [[Jeff Vintar]] and Iron Man co-creator [[Stan Lee]] co-wrote a story which Vintar adapted into a screenplay. Jeffrey Caine (''[[GoldenEye]]'') rewrote Vintar's script.<ref name="archive">{{cite web|title=Iron Man (Archive) |publisher=Comics2Film |url=http://www.comics2film.com/IronManArch.shtml |accessdate=2008-10-01 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20060503043047/http://www.comics2film.com/IronManArch.shtml |archivedate = May 03, 2006}}</ref> Director [[Quentin Tarantino]] was approached in October 1999 to write and direct ''Iron Man''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vice |first=Jeff |title=Comic books poised for film incarnations |publisher=[[Deseret Morning News]] |date=1999-10-03}}</ref> With no deal made, Fox eventually sold the rights to [[New Line Cinema]] the following December.<ref>{{cite news|last=Smith |first=Andrew |title=Superheroes lining up for millennium movie debuts |publisher=[[The Commercial Appeal]] |date=1999-12-26}}</ref> By July 2000, the film was being written for the studio<ref>{{cite news|last=Epstein |first=Warren |title=X-guys could muscle up more Marvelous screen fare |publisher=[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]] |date=2000-07-09}}</ref> by [[Ted Elliott]], [[Terry Rossio]],<ref name="archive"/> and [[Tim McCanlies]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Richey |first=Rodney |title=Warner Bros. goes ''Bat'' to the Future |publisher=[[Los Angeles Daily News]] |date=2000-09-25}}</ref> McCanlies's script used the idea of a [[Nick Fury]] cameo to set up his own film.<ref name="archive"/> New Line entered talks with [[Joss Whedon]], a fan of the character Iron Man, in June 2001 for the possibility of the director taking the helm.<ref>{{cite news|last=Elder |first=Robert K. |title=All work and lots of slay |work=Chicago Tribune |date=2001-06-01}}</ref> In December 2002, McCanlies had turned in a completed script.<ref>{{cite news|last=Garcia |first=Chris |title=A firsthand look at ''Secondhand'' |publisher=[[Austin American-Statesman]] |date=2002-12-06}}</ref> {{quote box|width=40%|quote= "We worked with [[Michael Crichton]]'s researchers to find a grounded realistic way to deal with the suit. The idea was he needed the suit to stay alive. He's the same guy we used with ''[[Spider-Man 2]]'' to come up with [[Doctor Octopus|Doc Ock's]] inhibitor chips and what the arms are made of and how they work. [...] [[Mandarin (comics)|Mandarin]] was an Indonesian terrorist who masqueraded as a rich playboy who Tony knew."|source= —Alfred Gough on his draft for Nick Cassavetes' and New Line's aborted version<ref>{{cite news|last=Ferrante |first=Anthony C. |title=Alfred Gough on Smallville, Iron Man and The Mummy 3 - Part 3 |date=2007-02-15 |url=http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=1919 |accessdate=2008-02-02 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071011184050/http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=1919 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-10-11}}</ref>}} In December 2004, the studio attached director [[Nick Cassavetes]] to the project for a target 2006 release.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newline.com/press/2004/1210_ironman.shtml |title=Nick Cassavetes to Direct New Line Cinema and Marvel's Iron Man |publisher=[[New Line Cinema]] |date=2004-12-10 |accessdate=2006-07-28}}</ref> After two years of unsuccessful development, and the deal with Cassavetes falling through, [[New Line Cinema]] returned the film rights to Marvel. Screenplay drafts had been written by [[Alfred Gough]], [[Miles Millar]] and [[David Hayter]], but they were not retained. New Line's script pitted Iron Man against his father [[Howard Stark]], who becomes [[War Machine]].<ref>{{cite news|author=El Chavo |title=Iron Man by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar, Revisions By David Hayter |publisher=Latino Review |date=2006-04-24 |url=http://latinoreview.com/scriptreview.php?id=22 |accessdate=2008-03-22 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080205070555/http://latinoreview.com/scriptreview.php?id=22 |archivedate = February 5, 2008}}</ref> In November 2005, [[Marvel Studios]] worked to start development from scratch,<ref>{{cite news|last=Fritz |first=Ben |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117932184?categoryid=1236&cs=1 |title=Marvel steels itself for ''Iron'' |work=Variety |date=2005-11-02 |accessdate=2006-07-28}}</ref> and announced it as their first independent feature, as Iron Man was their only major character not depicted in live action.<ref name="mask"/> In April 2006, [[Jon Favreau]] was hired as the film's director, with Arthur Marcum and Matt Holloway writing the script.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kit |first=Borys |title=Marvel Studios outlines slew of superhero titles |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=2008-04-28 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002424612 |accessdate=2008-03-22 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071011083727/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002424612 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-10-11}}</ref> Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby worked separately, with Favreau compiling both team's scripts,<ref>{{cite news|authorlink=Rob Worley |last=Worley |first=Rob |title=Jon Favreau talks Iron Man |publisher=Comics2Film |date=2006-06-21 |url=http://www.comics2film.com/index.php?a=story&b=20520 |accessdate=2008-03-22}}</ref> and the script received a polish by [[John August]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Jensen |first=Jeff |title=''Iron Man'': Summer's first Marvel? |work=Entertainment Weekly |date=2008-04-17 |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20192634_3,00.html |accessdate=2008-04-21}}</ref> Comic book staff [[Mark Millar]], [[Brian Michael Bendis]], [[Joe Quesada]], [[Tom Brevoort]], [[Axel Alonso]], and [[Ralph Macchio (comics)|Ralph Macchio]] were also summoned by Favreau to give advice on the script.<ref name="thinktank">{{cite news|authorlink=Rich Johnston |first=Rich |last=Johnston |title=Lying in the Gutters Volume 2 Column 156 |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]] |date= May 06, 2008 |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16292 |accessdate= May 06, 2008}}</ref> Favreau had wanted to work with Marvel producer [[Avi Arad]] on another film after the ''[[Daredevil (film)|Daredevil]]'' adaptation.<ref name="mask"/> Favreau celebrated getting the job by going on a diet, and lost seventy pounds.<ref name="pump"/> The director found the opportunity to create a politically ambitious "ultimate spy movie" in ''Iron Man'', citing inspiration from [[Tom Clancy]], [[James Bond]], and [[RoboCop]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Ultimate Superhero Preview |publisher=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |pages=90, 230 |date=2006-09-29 |accessdate=2006-09-29}}</ref> Favreau also described his approach as similar to an [[independent film]], "[i]f [[Robert Altman]] had directed ''[[Superman (film)|Superman]]''",<ref name="mask"/> and also cited ''[[Batman Begins]]'' as an inspiration.<ref name="sauron">{{cite news|last=Vespe |first=Eric |title=Quint goes one on one with Jon Favreau about IRON MAN at Comic-Con!!! |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |date=2007-07-28 |url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33483 |accessdate=2007-07-29}}</ref> He wanted to make ''Iron Man'' a story of an adult man literally reinventing himself, and realizing the world is far more complex than he believes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=756 |title=Empire: Interviews - Jon Favreau Video Interview |accessdate= May 01, 2008 |last=Ferris |first=Glen |date=2008-04-29 |publisher=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire Online]]}}</ref> Favreau changed the [[Vietnam War]] origin of the character to Afghanistan, as he did not want to do a [[period piece]].<ref name="trilogy"/> Choosing a villain was difficult, because Favreau felt Iron Man's archnemesis, the [[Mandarin (comics)|Mandarin]], would not feel realistic, especially after Mark Millar gave his opinion on the script.<ref name="thinktank"/> He felt only in a sequel, with an altered tone, would the fantasy of the Mandarin's rings be appropriate.<ref name="mandarin">{{cite news|last=Worley |first=Rob M. |title=Iron Man: Favreau on films, fans, and Fin Fang Foom |publisher=Comics2Film |date=2007-09-08 |url=http://www.comics2film.com/index.php?a=story&b=28481#ad_jump |accessdate=2007-08-08}}</ref> The decision to push him into the background is comparable to [[Sauron]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'',<ref name="sauron"/> or [[Palpatine]] in ''[[Star Wars]]''.<ref name="mandarin"/> Favreau also wanted Iron Man to face a giant enemy. The switch from Mandarin to Obadiah Stane was done after Bridges was cast.<ref name="depth"/> Stane was intended to become a villain in the sequel.<ref name="thinktank"/> The [[Crimson Dynamo]] was also a villain in early drafts in the script.<ref name="fly"/> Favreau felt it was important to include intentional [[in-joke|inside reference]]s for fans of the comics, such as giving the two fighter jets that attack Iron Man the [[call sign]]s of "Whiplash 1" and "Whiplash 2," a reference to the comic book villain [[Blacklash|Whiplash]], and including [[Captain America]]'s shield in Stark's workshop.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/38906 |title=Part 2 of Quint's interview with Jon Favreau! IRON MAN 2, Stark's alcoholism, Empire Strikes Back and THE AVENGERS! |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |date=October 29, 2008}}</ref> The post-closing-credits sequence that introduces [[Samuel L. Jackson]] as [[Nick Fury]], was written by comics writer [[Brian Michael Bendis]].<ref>Itzkoff, Dave. [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/movies/marvel-faces-a-mighty-foe-publishing-world-uncertainties.html?_r=1 "Modern Marvel"], ''The New York Times'', March 25, 2011</ref> ===Filming=== Production was based in the former [[Howard Hughes|Hughes Company]] soundstages in [[Playa Vista, Los Angeles, California]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Raab |first=Scott |title=May God Bless and Keep Robert Downey Jr. |publisher=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |date=2007-02-21 |url=http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0307downeyjr |accessdate=2007-02-23}}</ref> Favreau rejected the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] setting of the comic books because many superhero films had already been set there.<ref name="trilogy"/> [[Howard Hughes]] was one of the inspirations for the comic book, and the filmmakers acknowledged the coincidence that they would film Iron Man creating the flying Mark III where the [[Hughes H-4 Hercules]] "Spruce Goose" was built.<ref name="notes"/> Filming began on March 12, 2007,<ref>{{cite news|title=Funding Initiated for Iron Man Movie |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date=2007-02-28 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=5265 |accessdate=2007-02-28 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070302223614/http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=5265 |archivedate = March 2, 2007}}</ref> with the first few weeks spent on Stark's captivity in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news|last=Favreau |first=Jon |title=Jon Favreau on Iron Man filming |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date=2007-03-19 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=5362 |accessdate=2007-03-19 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070322164709/http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=5362 |archivedate = March 22, 2007}}</ref> The cave where Stark is imprisoned was a 150- to 200-yard (150–200 m) long set, which had movable forks in the caverns to allow greater freedom for the film's crew.<ref name="trilogy"/> [[Production designer]] [[J. Michael Riva]] saw footage of a [[Taliban]] fighter in Afghanistan, and saw the cold breath as he spoke: realizing remote caves are actually very cold, Riva placed an air conditioning system in the set. He also sought Downey's advice about makeshift objects in prison, such as a sock being used to make tea.<ref name="notes"/> Afterwards, Stark's capture was filmed at [[Lone Pine, California|Lone Pine]], and other exterior scenes in Afghanistan were filmed at [[Olancha]] Sand Dunes, where the crew endured two days of 40 to 60 mile an hour (60 to 100&nbsp;km/h) winds.<ref name="notes"/> Filming at [[Edwards Air Force Base]] began in mid-April,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123047810 |title=Flying with the stars |publisher=[[Edwards Air Force Base]] |date=2007-04-06 |accessdate=2007-04-16}}</ref> and wrapped on May 2.<ref>{{cite news|last=Miles |first=Donna |title=Edwards team stars in ''Iron Man'' superhero movie |publisher=[[United States Air Force]] |date= May 02, 2007 |url=http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123051647 |accessdate= May 14, 2007}}</ref> Exterior shots of Stark's home were digitally composited on footage of [[Point Dume]] in [[Malibu, California|Malibu]],<ref name="depth"/> while the interior was built at Playa Vista, where Favreau and Riva aimed to make Stark's home look less futuristic and more "[[wikt:grease monkey|grease monkey]]".<ref name="notes"/> Filming concluded on June 25, 2007 at [[Caesars Palace]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]].<ref>{{cite news|authorlink=Jon Favreau |last=Favreau |first=Jon |title=Iron Man Movie Update! |publisher=Comingsoon.net |date=2007-06-25 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5916 |accessdate=2007-06-26}}</ref> Favreau, a newcomer to action films, remarked, "I'm shocked that I [was] on schedule. I thought that there were going to be many curveballs". He hired "people who are good at creating action", so "the human story [felt] like it belongs to the comic book genre".<ref name="pump"/> There was much [[improvisation]] in dialogue scenes, because the script was not completed when filming began (the filmmakers had focused on the story making sense and planning the action). Favreau acknowledged that improvisation would make the film feel more natural. Some scenes were shot with two cameras to capture lines said on the spot. Multiple takes were done, as Downey wanted to try something new each time.<ref name="depth"/> It was Downey's idea to have Stark hold a [[news conference]] on the floor,<ref name="pump"/> and he created the speech Stark makes when demonstrating the Jericho weapon.<ref name="fire"/> [[Brian Michael Bendis]] wrote three pages of dialogue for the Nick Fury cameo scene, with the filmmakers choosing the best lines for filming.<ref name="thinktank"/> The cameo was filmed with a skeleton crew in order to keep it a secret, but rumors appeared on the Internet only days later. Marvel Studios's Kevin Feige subsequently ordered the scene removed from all preview prints in order to maintain the surprise and keep fans guessing.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jon Favreau Talks ''Iron Man'' |work=Entertainment Weekly |date= May 05, 2008 |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20198027_3,00.html |accessdate= May 06, 2008}}</ref> ===Effects=== [[Image:Ironmonger 2008film.jpg|thumb|A scale model of the "Iron Monger" suit]] Favreau wanted the film to be believable by showing the construction of the suit in its three stages.<ref name="trilogy"/> [[Stan Winston]], a fan of the comic book, and his company built metal and rubber versions of the armors. They had previously worked on Favreau's ''[[Zathura (film)|Zathura]]''.<ref name="notes"/> Favreau's main concern with the effects was whether the transition between the computer-generated and practical costumes would be too obvious.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rotten |first=Ryan |title=Iron Man: The Set Visit - Jon Favreau |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date=2008-04-01 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/featuresnews.php?id=7000 |accessdate=2008-04-01}}</ref> [[Industrial Light & Magic]] (ILM) was hired to create the bulk of the visual effects with additional work being completed by [[The Orphanage (company)|The Orphanage]] and [[The Embassy Visual Effects|The Embassy]]; Favreau trusted ILM after seeing ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End]]'' and ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''.<ref name="notes"/> The Mark I design was intended to look like it was built from spare parts: particularly, the back is less armored than the front, as Stark would use his resources to make a forward attack. It also foreshadows the design of Stane's armor. A single {{convert|90|lb|adj=on}} version was built, causing concern when a stuntman fell over inside it. Both the stuntman and the suit were unscathed. The armor was also designed to only have its top half worn at times.<ref name="notes"/> The Embassy created a digital version of the Mark I.<ref>{{cite news|last=Andrews |first=Marke |title=Vancouver's visual effects makers bulk up |work=The Vancouver Sun |location=Canada |date=2008-04-11 |url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=be3cd777-c4b8-4b3e-b6e8-b4fb4220dd3b&k=63189 |accessdate=2008-04-12}}</ref> Stan Winston Studios built a {{convert|10|ft|adj=on}}, {{convert|800|lb|adj=on}} animatronic version of the comic character "[[Iron Monger]]" (Obadiah Stane),<ref name="notes"/> a name which Obadiah Stane calls Tony Stark and himself earlier in the film, but is never actually used for the suit itself. The animatronic required five operators for the arm, and was built on a [[gimbal]] to simulate walking.<ref name="notes"/> A [[scale model]] was used for the shots of it being built.<ref name="depth"/> The Mark II resembles an airplane prototype, with visible flaps.<ref name="depth"/> Iron Man [[Comic book creator|comic book artist]] [[Adi Granov]] designed the Mark III with illustrator Phil Saunders.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5626 |title=Who Designed the Iron Man Suit? |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date= May 06, 2007 |accessdate= May 06, 2007}}</ref> Granov's designs were the primary inspiration for the film's design, and he came on board the film after he recognized his work on Jon Favreau's MySpace page.<ref name="sauron"/> Saunders streamlined Granov's concept art, making it stealthier and less cartoonish in its proportions.<ref name="notes"/> Sometimes, Downey would only wear the helmet, sleeves and chest of the costume over a [[motion capture]] suit.<ref name="notes"/> For shots of the Mark III flying, it was animated to look realistic by taking off slowly, and landing quickly. To generate shots of Iron Man and the [[F-22 Raptor]]s battling, cameras were flown in the air to provide reference for physics, wind and frost on the lenses.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vespe |first=Eric |title=Quint visits ILM with Jon Favreau and sees some IRON MAN stuff!! |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |date=2008-04-21 |url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36491 |accessdate=2008-04-22}}</ref> For further study of the physics of flying, skydivers were filmed in a vertical [[wind tunnel]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Carolyn |last=Giardina |title=''Iron Man'' crew had desired effects |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date= May 05, 2008 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/technology/news/e3id14e99b005fa29e4b688f4d8117eba76 |accessdate= May 06, 2008}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Phil Saunders created [[concept art]] for the [[War Machine]] armor and said that it was originally intended to be used in the film but was "cut from the script about halfway through pre-production." Saunders said that the War Machine armor "was going to be called the Mark IV armor and would have been weaponized swap-out parts that would be worn over the original Mark III armor," and that it "would have been worn by Tony Stark in the final battle sequence."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/10/21/iron-man-official-war-machine-concept-art/ |title=Iron Man: Official War Machine Concept Art |first=Peter |last=Sciretta |publisher=Slash Film |date=October 21, 2008}}</ref> ===Music=== {{See also|Iron Man (soundtrack)}} Composer [[Ramin Djawadi]] is an Iron Man fan, and still has issues of the comic from the late 1970s. Through his older brother, Amir, he is also into heavy metal music since the early 1990s. While he normally composes after watching an [[assembly cut]], Djawadi began work after seeing the [[teaser trailer]]. Favreau clearly envisioned a focus on "heavy" guitar in the score, and Djawadi composed the music on that instrument before arranging it for orchestra. The composer said Downey's performance inspired the several Iron Man themes (for his different moods), as well as Stark's playboy [[leitmotif]]. Djawadi's favorite of the Iron Man themes is the "kickass" because of its "rhythmic pattern that is a hook on its own. Very much like a machine." The other themes are "not so much character based, but rather plot based that carry you through the movie".<ref>{{cite news|title=Ramin Djawadi |publisher=Comicus |date=2008-04-06 |url=http://www.comicus.it/view.php?section=interviste&id=165 |language=Italian |accessdate=2008-04-06}}</ref> Guitarist [[Tom Morello]] of [[Rage Against the Machine]] and [[Audioslave]], who has a brief cameo in the film as a guard, contributed additional guitar work to the movie's soundtrack. ==Release== [[File:Robert Downey Jr-2008.JPG|thumb|upright|Downey promoting the film in [[Mexico City]]]] The premiere was held at the [[Greater Union]] theater at [[George Street, Sydney]], on April 14, 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=Iron Man Aussie Premiere Pics |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date=2008-04-14 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=7069 |accessdate=2008-04-15}}</ref> The film was released worldwide except for Japan between April 30 and May 7, 2008, with Japan to receive the film in September 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371746/releaseinfo |title=Iron Man (2008) - Release dates |accessdate=2008-06-21 |work=Internet Movie Database}}</ref> ===Marketing=== Marvel and Paramount modeled their marketing campaign for ''Iron Man'' on that of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''.<ref name="transformers">{{cite news|last=Stanley |first=T. L. |title=Tie-ins: LG, BK, 7-Eleven To Pump Paramount's Iron Man |publisher=[[Brandweek]] |date=2008-01-07 |url=http://www.brandweek.com/bw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003692165 |accessdate=2008-01-08 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080113022114/http://www.brandweek.com/bw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003692165 |archivedate = January 13, 2008}}</ref> [[Sega]] released a [[Iron Man (video game)|video game]] based on the film, which included other iterations of the character.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cordeira |first=Jim |url=http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2006/11/6-10 |title=Sega and Marvel hook up for Iron Man |publisher=Gaming Age |date=2006-11-06 |accessdate=2006-11-06}}</ref> A 30-second spot for the film aired during a [[Super Bowl XLII]] break.<ref>{{cite news|last=Graser |first=Marc |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117978002.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 |title=Studios suit up for Super Bowl |work=Variety |date=2007-12-19 |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref> 6,400 [[7-Eleven]] stores in the United States helped promote the film, and [[LG Group]] also made a deal with Paramount.<ref name="transformers"/> [[Hasbro]] created figures of armors from the film, as well as [[Titanium Man]] (who appears in the video game) and the [[Iron Man's armor#Hulkbuster Armor MK II|armor from the ''World War Hulk'' comics]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Douglas |first=Edward |title=Hasbro Previews G.I. Joe, Hulk, Iron Man, Indy & Clone Wars |publisher=[[Superhero Hype!]] |date=2008-02-17 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6807 |accessdate=2008-02-17}}</ref> Worldwide, [[Burger King]] and [[Audi]] promoted the film. Jon Favreau was set to direct a commercial for the fast-food chain, as [[Michael Bay]] did for ''Transformers''.<ref name="transformers"/> In the film, Tony Stark drives an [[Audi R8 (road car)|Audi R8]], and also has an "American cheeseburger" from Burger King after his rescue from Afghanistan, as part of the studio's [[product placement]] deal with the respective companies. Three other vehicles, the [[Audi S6]] sedan, [[Audi A5|Audi S5]] sports coupe and the [[Audi Q7]] SUV, also appear in the film.<ref>{{cite news|last=Graser |first=Marc |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117969149.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |title=''Iron Man'' rides with Audi |work=Variety |date=2007-07-25 |accessdate=2007-07-26}}</ref> Audi created a tie-in website, as [[General Motors]] did for ''Transformers''.<ref name="transformers"/> [[Oracle Corporation]] also promoted the film on its site.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oracle.com/marvel/index.html |title=Oracle is co-promoting Ironman |accessdate= May 02, 2008}}</ref> Estimates for the cost of marketing ''Iron Man'' ranged from US$50 to $75&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gorman |first=Steve |title="Iron Man" gets heavy start at box office |agency=Reuters |date= May 03, 2008 |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0332150820080503 |accessdate= May 04, 2008}}</ref> ===Critical reception=== {{Anchors|Critics|Critical response}} <!-- Please note, when updating Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and Movie Tab ratings, you should also update the "accessdate" field within the citation tags to reflect the date on which you have updated them. --> ''Iron Man'' received critical acclaim. On May 1, 2008, the film was identified as the "best-reviewed film of the year so far" by Jen Yamato of review aggregator ''[[Rotten Tomatoes]]'', with the site reporting at that time the film had received a rating of 95% based on 107 reviews and this rating has held its place as of January 2010.<ref name="yamato" /><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/iron_man/news/1725305/ |title=Iron Man is the Best-Reviewed Movie of 2008! |first=Jen |last=Yamato |date= May 01, 2008 | quote = as of today, Iron Man sits at 95 percent on the Tomatometer with 107 reviews counted. | work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | publisher=IGN/Newscorp<!-- later sold to Flixster --> | accessdate = May 09, 2010 }} <!--Note: the Yamato article (May, 95%, 107 reviews) is a fixed point in time, and that information will not change, while the main RT page is constantly updating --></ref> The film currently holds a score of 94% based on 233 reviews,<ref>http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/iron_man/</ref> with selected top critics giving it a score of 93% based on 39 reviews.<ref name="cream">http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/iron_man/?critic=creamcrop</ref> ''[[Metacritic]]'' gave the film [[Standard score|normalized]] [[weighted mean|average]] score of 79%, based on 38 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/ironman |title=Iron Man (2008): Reviews |work=[[Metacritic]] | publisher=CNET Networks, Inc |accessdate=2008-06-21 }}</ref> Among the major trade journals, Todd McCarthy in ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called the film an "expansively entertaining special effects extravaganza" with "fresh energy and stylistic polish",<ref>{{cite news|accessdate= May 03, 2008 |url=http://www.variety.com/VE1117936903.html |title=Iron Man |work=Variety |date=2008-04-25 |last=McCarthy |first=Todd}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> while Kirk Honeycutt of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' praised the film while nonetheless finding "disappointment [in] a climatic [sic] battle between different Iron Man prototypes [...] how did Tony's nemesis learn how to use the suit?"<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= May 03, 2008 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=11021 |title=Iron Man |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=2008-04-28 |last=Honeycutt |first=Kirk |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080430111835/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=11021 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-04-30}}</ref> In one of the first major-daily newspaper reviews, [[Frank Lovece]] of ''[[Newsday]]'' lauded the film's "emotional truth [...] pitch-perfect casting and plausibly rendered super-science" that made it "faithful to the source material while updating it &ndash; and recognizing what's made that material so enduring isn't just the high-tech cool of a man in a metal suit, but the human condition that got him there".<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= May 03, 2008 |url=http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/news/ny-etiron295667140apr29,0,641421.story |title=''Iron Man'' |work=Newsday |date=2008-04-30 |last=Lovece |first=Frank}}</ref> [[A. O. Scott]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the film "an unusually good superhero picture. Or at least – since it certainly has its problems – a superhero movie that's good in unusual ways."<ref>{{cite news|accessdate= May 03, 2008 |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/movies/02iron.html |title=Iron Man (2008) |work=The New York Times|date= May 02, 2008 |last=Scott |first=A. O.}}</ref> Among the specialty press, Garth Franklin of ''[[Dark Horizons]]'' commended the "impressive sets and mechanics that combine smoothly with relatively seamless CG", and said, "Robert Downey Jr., along with director Jon Favreau [...] help this rise above formula. The result is something that, whilst hardly original or groundbreaking, is nevertheless refreshing in its earnestness to avoid dark dramatic stylings in favor of an easy-going, crowd-pleasing action movie with a sprinkle of anti-war and redemption themes".<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= May 03, 2008 |url=http://www.darkhorizons.com/reviews/ironman.php |title=Review: "Iron Man" |publisher=[[Dark Horizons]] |date= May 02, 2008 |last=Franklin |first=Garth}}</ref> ''[[IGN]]'''s Todd Gilchrist recognized Downey as "the best thing" in a film that "functions on autopilot, providing requisite story developments and character details to fill in this default 'origin story' while the actors successfully breathe life into their otherwise conventional roles".<ref>{{cite news|last=Gilchrist |first=Todd |title=Iron Man Review |publisher=[[IGN]] |date=2008-04-29 |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/870/870262p1.html |accessdate=2008-04-29}}</ref> Among major metropolitan weeklies, [[David Edelstein]] of ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine called the film "a shapely piece of mythmaking [...] Favreau doesn't go in for stylized comic-book frames, at least in the first half. He gets real with it – you'd think you were watching a military thriller",<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= May 03, 2008 |url=http://nymag.com/movies/reviews/46460/ |title=A Hero for Our Times |publisher=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |date=2008-04-25 |last=Edelstein |first=David}}</ref> while conversely, [[David Denby (film critic)|David Denby]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' put forth a negative review, claiming "a slightly depressed, going-through-the-motions feel to the entire show [...] [[Gwyneth Paltrow]], widening her eyes and palpitating, can't do much with an antique role as Stark's [[Girl Friday (idiom)|girl Friday]], who loves him but can't say so; [[Terrence Howard]], playing a military man who chases around after Stark, looks dispirited and taken for granted".<ref>{{cite web|accessdate= May 03, 2008 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2008/05/05/080505crci_cinema_denby |title=Unsafe |work=The New Yorker |date= May 05, 2008 |last=Denby |first=David}}</ref> Looking at the sociocultural aspects of the film, Cristobal Giraldez Catalan at ''[[Bright Lights Film Journal]]'' argues that, "Iron Man is far more than playboy fantasy; it is American foreign policy realized without context....Iron Man, with narrative and directorial precision, once again provides the high-fidelity misogyny and anti-Muslim rhetoric Hollywood is known for."<ref>Catalan, Cristobal G (Aug, 2008). '[http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/61/61ironmancatalan.php 'Kill a few arabs and enjoy your cheeseburger']. http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/61/61ironmancatalan.php</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] and [[Richard Corliss]] named ''Iron Man'' as among their favorite films of 2008.<ref>{{cite news|authorlink=Roger Ebert |first=Roger |last=Ebert |title=The best films of 2008... and there were a lot of them |date=2008-12-05 |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081205/COMMENTARY/812059997/1023 |accessdate=2008-12-09 | work=Chicago Sun-Times}} {{Rating|3|4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|authorlink=Richard Corliss |first=Richard |last=Corliss |title=Top 10 Movies |work=TIME |date=2008-12-09 |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/top10/article/0,30583,1855948_1863826_1863827,00.html |accessdate=2008-12-09}}</ref> ===Box office=== In its opening weekend, ''Iron Man'' grossed $98,618,668 in 4,105 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking number one at the box office,<ref name="mojoweek">{{cite web|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=ironman.htm |title=Iron Man (2008) - Weekend Box Office Results |accessdate= May 04, 2008 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> giving it the 11th-biggest opening weekend,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/ |title=Biggest Openings at the Box Office |accessdate= May 02, 2008 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> ninth widest release in terms of theaters,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/widest.htm?page=WIDEST&p=.htm |title=Movies With the Widest Openings at the Box Office |accessdate= May 06, 2008 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> and the third highest-grossing opening weekend of [[2008 in film|2008]] behind ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'' and ''[[The Dark Knight (film)|The Dark Knight]]''. It grossed $35.2&nbsp;million on its first day, giving it the 13th-biggest opening day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/days/?page=open&p.htm |title=Opening Day Records at the Box Office |accessdate= May 03, 2008 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> ''Iron Man'' had the second-best premiere for a non-sequel, behind ''[[Spider-Man (film)|Spider-Man]]''. It had the fourth-biggest opening for a superhero movie.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/05/04/ap4967190.html |title=Marvel turns ''Iron Man'' into gold with $100M-plus debut |accessdate= May 04, 2008 |first=David |last=Germain |date= May 04, 2008 |agency=Associated Press |work=Forbes|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080508173509/http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/05/04/ap4967190.html |archivedate = May 8, 2008}}</ref> ''Iron Man'' was also the number-one film in the United States and Canada in its second weekend, grossing $51.1&nbsp;million,<ref name="mojoweek"/> giving it the 12th-best second weekend and the fifth-best for a non-sequel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=2&p=.htm |title=Top Weekends:2nd-12th |accessdate= May 12, 2008 |date= May 11, 2008 |work=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> On June 18, 2008 ''Iron Man'' became the first movie of 2008 to pass the $300&nbsp;million mark for the domestic box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=ironman.htm |title=Iron Man (2008) |accessdate=2008-06-25 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/n19296777-ironman/ |first=Carl |last=DiOrio |title="Iron Man" bolts past $300&nbsp;million at box office |date=2008-06-19 |accessdate=2008-06-25 |publisher=NewsDaily}}</ref> <!-- If updating, please change date in article and citation, and update infobox --> {{As of|July 2009}}, ''Iron Man'' has grossed $585,174,222 worldwide, $318,412,101 in the United States and Canada and $266,762,121 in other territories.<ref name="boxmojo">{{cite web|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=ironman.htm |title=Iron Man (2008) |accessdate=2009-07-01 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> <!-- If updating, please change date in article and citation, and update infobox --> ===Home media=== {{Anchors|DVD|Video}} The film was released on DVD and [[Blu-ray Disc]] on September 30, 2008, in North America and October 27, 2008 in Europe.<ref>{{cite news|first=Susanne |last=Ault |title=Iron Man to kick off fourth quarter |work=Video Business |date= May 05, 2008 |url=http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6580245.html?desc=topstory |accessdate=2008-07-22}}</ref> DVD sales were very successful, selling over 4 million copies the first week and generating a gross over $93&nbsp;million USD.<ref name="TheNumbers">{{cite web | date = 2008-10-31 | url = http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2008/IRNMN-DVD.php | title = Movie Iron Man - DVD Sales | publisher=The-Numbers.com | accessdate = 2010-03-31 }} </ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/oct/15dvd.htm |title=It just keeps on getting better and better for ''Iron Man'' |last=Paris |first=Arthur J. |date=October 15, 2008 |publisher=Rediff India Abroad |accessdate=2009-07-01}}</ref> There were a total of 9 million copies sold and an accumulated total sales of over $160&nbsp;million (not including Blu-ray).<ref name="TheNumbers" /> For the home releases of the film, the image on the newspaper Stark reads before he announces he is Iron Man had to be altered because of amateur photographer Ronnie Adams filing a lawsuit against Paramount and Marvel for using his on-location spy photo in the scene.<ref>{{cite news|first=Cal |last=Kemp |title=IRON MAN Censored |work=Collider |date=2008-09-17 |url=http://www.collider.com/entertainment/news/article.asp/aid/9202/tcid/1 |accessdate=2008-09-19}}</ref> A [[Wal-Mart]]-exclusive release included a preview of ''[[Iron Man: Armored Adventures]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comicsworthreading.com/2008/10/05/iron-man-dvd-review/ |title=Iron Man DVD (Review) |publisher=Comics Worth Reading |date=October 5, 2008}}</ref> ===Awards=== ''Iron Man'' was selected by the [[American Film Institute]] as one of the [[American Film Institute Awards 2008|ten best films of the year]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/tvevents/afiawards08/ |title=AFI Awards 2008 |publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|accessdate= October 22, 2010}}</ref> The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]] and [[Academy Award for Best Sound Editing|Best Sound Editing]] at the [[81st Academy Awards]], but lost to ''[[The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button]]'' and ''[[The Dark Knight (film)|The Dark Knight]]'', respectively.<ref>{{cite news|title=Academy Award winners and nominees |publisher=CNN |date=2009-02-22 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/22/oscar.nominees.full.list/index.html |accessdate=2009-02-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oscar.com/oscarnight/winners/ |title=Oscars.com - 81st Academy Award winners |accessdate=2009-02-22}}</ref> It was nominated for nine [[Saturn Award]]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saturnawards.org/nominations.html |title=Nominations for the 35th Annual Saturn Awards |publisher=[[Saturn Award|Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films]] |accessdate=2009-03-17}}</ref> winning [[Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film|Best Science Fiction Film]], [[Saturn Award for Best Direction|Best Director]] for Favreau and [[Saturn Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] for Downey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saturnawards.org/sa_35th_062409.doc|title= “The Dark Knight” receives five Saturn Awards at the 35th Annual Saturn Awards|publisher=[[Saturn Award|Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films]]|accessdate=2009-07-11}}</ref> In 2008, ''Iron Man'' was selected by ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine as one of ''The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/500/18.asp |title= ''Empire's'' The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time |work=Empire Magazine |accessdate= May 21, 2010}}</ref> Tony Stark was also selected as one of ''The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-movie-characters/default.asp?c=48 |title= ''Empire's'' The 100 Greatest Characters of All Time |work=Empire Magazine |accessdate= May 21, 2010}}</ref> On their list of the ''100 Greatest Fictional Characters'', Fandomania.com ranked Iron Man at number 37.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fandomania.com/100-greatest-fictional-characters-40-36/ |title= The 100 Greatest Fictional Characters |publisher=Fandomania.com |accessdate= May 21, 2010}}</ref> It was nominated for Favorite Movie at the [[2009 Kids' Choice Awards]] but lost to ''[[High School Musical 3: Senior Year]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nickkcapress.com/2009KCA/nominees.php |title=Nickelodeon Unfolds Luminous List of 2009 ''Kids' Choice Awards'' Nominees |publisher=Nick KCA Press |date=February 6, 2009 |accessdate=2009-07-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/nominees.jhtml |title=Kid's Choic Awards 2009 – The Winners |publisher=Nick.com |accessdate=2009-07-01}}</ref> ==Sequels== {{Anchors|Sequel|Sequels}} {{Main|Iron Man 2}} The sequel, ''[[Iron Man 2]]'', was released in the United States on May 7, 2010 with Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. returning as director and lead, respectively, with a screenplay by [[Justin Theroux]]. [[Don Cheadle]] replaces [[Terrence Howard]] in the role of Colonel Rhodes, who is also seen as [[War Machine]]. Also starring is [[Gwyneth Paltrow]] as Pepper Potts; [[Mickey Rourke]] as [[Whiplash (comics)|Whiplash]], a villain with technologically enhanced whips; [[Sam Rockwell]] as [[Justin Hammer]]; a business rival of Stark's. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said he is happy with the results of ''Iron Man 2'' and stated that ''Iron Man 3'' will be in theaters by 2013. "We do have a contract with Robert Downey Jr. to do it, and it will come after ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]]''", Feige said.<ref>{{cite web | date = May 9, 2010 | title = "Iron Man 2" Earns $133&nbsp;million, "Iron Man 3" Promised for 2013 | url = http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=17650 | publisher=WorstPreviews.com | accessdate = May 10, 2010 }} </ref> Jon Favreau said that although the character may need reworking, the [[Mandarin (comics)|Mandarin]] would be in the third film. The director said, "The problem with the Mandarin is that the way it's depicted in the comic books, you don't want to see that. He has 10 magical rings – that just doesn't feel right for our [franchise]. So it's either tech-based, or the rings are not really rings."<ref>Carroll, Larry, with reporting by Josh Horowitz. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1638536/20100505/story.jhtml "'Iron Man 2' Director Jon Favreau Wants The Mandarin For Third Movie"], [[MTV|MTV.com]], May 6, 2010</ref> After the release of ''Iron Man 2'', a conflict between Paramount Pictures, which has distribution rights to certain Marvel properties, and [[The Walt Disney Company]], Marvel Comics' corporate parent, clouded the timing and the distribution arrangement of a possible third film.<ref>{{cite web | date = May 10, 2010 | first = Daniel | last = Frankel | url = http://www.thewrap.com/article/what-iron-man-3-17187 | title = Will There Be an 'Iron Man 3' – and Whose Will It Be? | work=[[The Wrap]] | accessdate = May 12, 2010 }}</ref> Paramount and Disney have since reached an agreement where Disney will get the worldwide distribution and marketing rights from Paramount for ''Iron Man 3'' as well as ''The Avengers''. ''Iron Man 3'' is due for release on May 3, 2013.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=70864| title=Disney to Distribute The Avengers and Iron Man 3| publisher=ComingSoon.net | date=October 18, 2010| accessdate=October 19, 2010}}</ref> == References == {{Reflist|2}} == External links == {{wikiquote}} * {{Official website|http://www.ironmanmovie.com/}} * {{IMDb title|0371746|Iron Man}} * {{Rotten-tomatoes|iron_man|Iron Man}} * {{Metacritic film|iron-man|Iron Man}} * {{Mojo title|ironman|Iron Man}} * {{Allmovie title|353425|Iron Man}} * [http://marvel.com/movies/Iron_Man.Iron_Man_%282008%29 ''Iron Man''] at Marvel.com * [http://moviegrande.com/iron_man/marvel.htm ''Iron Man''] at That's (Marvel) Entertainment {{s-start}} {{s-ach}} {{succession box|before=''[[Cloverfield]]''|after=''[[Avatar (2009 film)|Avatar]]''|title=[[Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film]]|years=2008}} {{end box}} {{Iron Man}} {{S.H.I.E.L.D.}} {{Jon Favreau}} {{Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby}} {{Marvel Cinematic Universe}} {{Marvel comics films}} {{good article}} <!-- http://allmovie.com/work/iron-man-353425 --> <!--Primary film categories WP:FILMCAT--> {{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Man}} [[Category:Article Feedback Pilot]] [[Category:2008 films]] [[Category:American films]] [[Category:English-language films]] [[Category:Films directed by Jon Favreau]] <!--Year categories--> [[Category:2000s action films]] <!-- http://allmovie.com/work/iron-man-353425 --> [[Category:2000s science fiction films]] <!--Primary grouping categories--> [[Category:Iron Man films]] [[Category:Marvel Cinematic Universe films]] <!--Company categories--> [[Category:Paramount Pictures films]] <!--Filming location categories--> [[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles, California]] <!--Film setting categories--> [[Category:Films set in Afghanistan]] [[Category:Films set in Las Vegas]] [[Category:Films set in Los Angeles, California]] [[ar:آيرون مان (فيلم)]] [[br:Iron Man (film)]] [[ca:Iron Man]] [[cs:Iron Man (film)]] [[da:Iron Man (film)]] [[de:Iron Man (Film)]] [[el:Iron Man (ταινία)]] [[es:Iron Man (película)]] [[fa:مرد آهنی (فیلم)]] [[fr:Iron Man (film)]] [[ko:아이언 맨]] [[id:Iron Man (film)]] [[it:Iron Man (film)]] [[he:איירון מן (סרט)]] [[ka:რკინის კაცი (ფილმი)]] [[hu:A Vasember (film, 2008)]] [[ms:Iron Man (filem)]] [[my:သံမဏိလူသား (ရုပ်ရှင်)]] [[nl:Iron Man (2008)]] [[ja:アイアンマン (映画)]] [[no:Iron Man (film)]] [[pl:Iron Man (film)]] [[pt:Homem de Ferro (filme)]] [[ru:Железный человек (фильм)]] [[simple:Iron Man (movie)]] [[sk:Iron Man (film)]] [[sr:Ајрон мен (филм)]] [[fi:Iron Man (elokuva)]] [[sv:Iron Man (film)]] [[th:ไอรอน แมน (ภาพยนตร์)]] [[tr:Iron Man (film)]] [[uk:Залізна Людина (фільм)]] [[zh:鐵甲奇俠 (電影)]]'