Marvel would have lost everything if Iron Man failed. After collaborating with other studios to make movies from their character catalog, Marvel Studios launched their first independent blockbuster in 2008 with Jon Favreau’s Iron Man. It was a big gamble for the then-small company, but new details reveal just how massive of a risk making the film was.
During a recent interview with Inverse, famed comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis recalls his time working on Iron Man‘s famous Nick Fury post-credits scene. During the conversation, he also reveals how much Marvel really bet on the success of the Robert Downey Jr.-led blockbuster, saying that they even leveraged their whole catalog to secure funding. Read his full comment below:
“Marvel had leveraged their library for a bank loan to make Iron Man. If it worked, great. If it didn’t, the bank owned Marvel. So it was all hands on deck.”
Why Iron Man Is Still MCU’s Most Important Movie
Looking back at it now, it’s difficult to imagine how Hollywood would look like without the MCU. But the franchise wouldn’t even exist had it not been for the success of Iron Man. When news broke out that they chose Iron Man to be their inaugural hero, however, many were quick to dismiss their capacity to follow through with their plans. Not only was Tony Stark deemed a B-list Marvel character, but some of the personnel behind the project also weren’t exactly ideal. Until now, Kevin Feige calls casting Downey Marvel Studios’ biggest risk.
Assembling the cast and crew wasn’t the end of the many more risks that they took to make Iron Man. The film’s production was not ideal. Scripts were being written and re-written while production was going on. Many of the scenes were also improvised, including Downey’s “I am Iron Man” moment at the end of the blockbuster. Ultimately, everything paid off. Iron Man became the sleeper hit of 2008. Not only did Marvel Studios not lose its catalog, but it also laid the groundwork for the MCU.
15 years after Iron Man, its impact is still being felt in the franchise. Some of Marvel Studios’ best storytelling and filmmaking practices were born during that time. While the MCU has grown exponentially in the last decade, releasing a variety of projects, Iron Man will remain a fan-favorite for fans who have been with the franchise since the beginning.
