Iron Man
Heroes aren't born. They're built.
Iron Man (2008)
Production
Budget
$140 000 000
Revenue
$585 366 247
Director
Scenario
Art Marcum
Composer
Producer
Actors
Robert Downey Jr.
Tony Stark
Terrence Howard
Rhodey
Jeff Bridges
Obadiah Stane
Gwyneth Paltrow
Pepper Potts
Leslie Bibb
Christine Everhart
Shaun Toub
Yinsen
Faran Tahir
Raza
Clark Gregg
Agent Coulson
Short description
Tony Stark is a billionaire engineer and weapons manufacturer whose life changes when he is taken captive in Afghanistan. His captors demand that he build them a powerful weapon, but instead he secretly constructs a high-tech suit of armor that allows him to escape. Back home, he refines the suit and turns it toward protecting people, a decision that brings him into conflict with those closest to his company.
Iron Man was directed by Jon Favreau, his fourth feature after Made, Elf, and Zathura: A Space Adventure, and the first in a series he continued with Iron Man 2. Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark, with Terrence Howard as Rhodey, Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Leslie Bibb as Christine Everhart, and Shaun Toub as Yinsen. The screenplay is credited to Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Mark Fergus, and the film was produced by Avi Arad and Kevin Feige for Marvel Studios.
Made for about 140 million dollars, the film took in roughly 585 million dollars worldwide, a strong return that helped establish Marvel Studios as a producer of its own films. On IMDb it holds 7.9 out of 10 from 1.2 million votes, and on TMDB 7.7 out of 10 from about 28,850 votes, while a critics' rating stands at 7.9 out of 10 from 278 reviews, showing audiences and critics largely agreed on the film.
What's left behind the scenes
- Following a well-established tradition, comic book author Stan Lee made a cameo appearance: he plays a man whom the protagonist mistakenly believes to be Hugh Hefner – the creator of “Playboy.”
- This is the first film fully financed by Marvel Studios.
- Howard Hughes, the inventor, served as the prototype for Tony Stark.
- The terrorist leader Raza claims that the empire of Genghis Khan was twice as large as that of Alexander the Great and four times the size of the Roman Empire. In fact, Genghis Khan's state reached approximately five times the size of the Roman Empire and six times larger than the kingdom of Alexander.
- The design for the 'Mark III' suit was created by Phil Saunders and Adi Granov (comic book artist for Iron Man). The suit itself was then constructed by Stan Winston Studios.
- Gwyneth Paltrow agreed to the role of Virginia 'Pepper' Potts on the condition that filming with her participation would take place close to her home. As a result, Paltrow could get to the set in 15 minutes.
- Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise were interested in playing Iron Man. In particular, Tom Cruise planned to produce and star in the film.
- Jon Favreau decided to film in California because he believed too many superhero films had been shot on the East Coast, particularly in New York.
- The film's script was not fully completed when filming began, as the filmmakers were more focused on the story and action, so the dialogue was often filmed improvisationally. Jon Favreau admitted that this made the film more natural. Some scenes were shot with two cameras to capture the dialogue improvised on set. Robert very often asked to reshoot the same scene several times, as he wanted to try something new. On the other hand, it was a difficult time for Gwyneth Paltrow, who tried to match her actions and words with Robert's performance in order not to break character and get into the moment, as she never knew what he might say.
- Initially, the Mandarin was supposed to be the main villain, but Jon Favreau considered him too fantastical and outdated. Had the Mandarin appeared in the film, he would have been portrayed as an Indonesian terrorist.
- Tony Stark's computer system is called J.A.R.V.I.S. This is a tribute to Edwin Jarvis, Howard Stark's butler. It was modified into an artificial intelligence to avoid comparison with Bruce Wayne’s butler – Alfred Pennyworth.
- When the terrorist leader who captured Stark threatens Yinsen with a heated piece of metal, that piece glows like a glass bulb with a light inside, rather than like a piece of hot metal (uniformly, across the entire surface, and cooling quickly).
- Paul Bettany voiced all of Jarvis's lines in 2 hours.
- Clive Owen and Sam Rockwell were considered for the role of Tony Stark.
- It took about seventeen years for the film to finally get off the ground. Initially, Universal Pictures was supposed to produce the film in April 1990. They later sold the rights to 20th Century Fox. Fox later sold the rights to New Line Cinema. Finally, Marvel Studios decided to take and independently develop their own creation.
- A video game with the same name as the film was created.
- The film states that Tony Stark graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with honors. In reality, MIT does not award diplomas with honors. Additionally, Rhodes wears a ring with the institute's emblem, traditionally worn by undergraduates with the emblem facing downwards. It is possible that Rhodes and Stark met while studying.
- While preparing for the role of Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. based his portrayal on the image of American billionaire, inventor, and philanthropist Elon Musk, who, among other things, is the owner or founder of companies such as PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla Motors.
- In the film, Yin Sen pours molten palladium into a vat, shown as reddish-orange. In reality, liquid palladium glows yellow-white.
- When Stark drives to the banquet in an Audi, there is no front license plate, but when he arrives, the license plate is shown in close-up.
- In the scene where Pepper discovers Tony filming the armor in the workshop, Captain America's shield can be seen, which Tony Stark used to prop up his setup in the second part of Iron Man.
- The final battle resembles a fight between Robocop and the metal drug dealer Cain from the film "Robocop 2" (1990).
- Tony Stark's mini-nuclear reactor generates 7 GJ/s of energy. If all this energy were directed into a conventional electromagnet, it would melt (and even vaporize) instantly, let alone being worn in the chest.
- Pepper Potts uses an LG KS20 phone. Tony Stark – an LG VX9400. James Rhodes – an LG KG810.
- Tony Stark miraculously converts electrical energy directly into reactive thrust. This is physically impossible, as these two forces have a completely different nature.
- Jon Favreau wanted Robert Downey Jr. to play the role of Stark because he felt that the actor’s past was precisely the experience needed for the role. He commented: “Robert’s best and worst moments in life – all happened in the public eye. He had to find inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That is Tony Stark. Robert brings a depth to the character that goes beyond the typical comic book hero with problems in high school or a failed relationship with a girl.” Favreau also felt that Robert could make Stark a “lovable rogue,” but at the same time portray a genuine emotional journey once his character captured the audience’s attention.
- In the first few minutes of the film, when Tony Stark is captured by terrorists and a ransom is demanded for him, a stretched canvas with symbols used in “Iron Man 3” (2013) before the Mandarin’s broadcast can be seen in the background.
- Robert Downey Jr., after finishing filming on June 26, 2007, was involved in an 8-month process with special effects to accurately capture all of Iron Man's movements.
- Rachel McAdams was John Favreau's first choice for the role of Pepper Potts, but she turned down the offer.
- When Stark builds his flight stabilizer (hand nozzle), the film demonstrates it firing with strong recoil. However, when Stark (while in flight) shoots at his own rockets with his hands, he doesn't even flinch.
- During the filming of the tank scene, the filmmakers broke a camera.
- There is a small bonus scene after the credits. Samuel L. Jackson appears in it as Nick Fury.
- The musical theme from the cartoon "Invincible Iron Man" (1966) is repeatedly featured in the film (casino, bedroom scene, and as Rhodey's ringtone).
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