If Tony really only cared about “the mission”, he wouldn’t throw in the “hot-rod red”. He has the honesty to make sure that his weapon-one he uses unilaterally-is the only one that can save the day and he’ll do it stylishly to boot.
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Both heroes are selfish men masquerading as selfless heroes, but at least Tony’s ego is in full view. Tony Stark is Bruce Wayne without the brooding, and there’s a refreshing honesty in that. Iron Man sets that darkness aside for his debut and launches into a far more colorful tale, although it still has an unsettling tone if you look beneath the flash and glamour. The first shot we ever see of Tony is with a drink in his hand, which hints at arguably the most famous Iron Man story from the comics, Demon in a Bottle. He was a talented guy who had fallen low and was trying to make a comeback. He was perfect casting, and Jon Favreau knew it, not only from seeing Downey’s performances, but also the actor’s personal life. He’s gregarious, charismatic, personable, but with just a twinge of cocky arrogance that’s somehow endearing. Some may not even call the performance that much of a stretch since Downey tends to act like Tony Stark in interviews. Try to imagine another actor in that role and you can’t. He had too much history with drug abuse and even said in court to the judge, “It’s like I’ve got a shotgun in my mouth, with my finger on the trigger, and I like the taste of the gun metal.” This was the guy, talented as he was on screen, who was being entrusted to carry not only a second-tier superhero, but also Marvel Studios’ first independently produced feature. was a huge risk because he was basically uninsurable. While The Dark Knight is a singularly important film, Iron Man, through ingenuity, risk, and dumb luck, lit the fuse on a remarkable cinematic achievement that still has audiences captivated.Ĭasting Robert Downey Jr. These two sides originate from the same character-a billionaire who technically doesn’t have superpowers, but who uses his wealth and genius to become a superhero after he’s personally affected by a negative event.
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Both have come to define modern movie superheroes with one representing the lighter, happier side of comics and the other driving for a darker, grittier aspect grounded in reality.
The Dark Knight was released on July 18, 2008.
2008 would also solidify the landscape of how geek culture would view superheroes by creating two distinct tones originating from a similar character. It’s the year that launched superheroes to a new level, and ultimately led to “movie universes” thus pumping steroids into the traditional franchise model. 2008 is the most important year in superhero films, which also makes it one of the most important years in modern movie history.