Over the weekend, May 2 marked the 18th anniversary of Iron Man's release in 2008. The movie was a game-changer for a genre that had, in the preceding decade, been a mixed bag at best. For every Spider-Man and X-Men, there were let-downs like Fantastic Four and Elektra. However, by taking a B-list superhero and making a truly great blockbuster, Marvel Studios successfully launched what would become the biggest franchise ever.
It's fascinating now to look back at the impact Iron Man had in 2008. Not dissimilar to today's superhero offerings, details of the post-credits scene leaked online in advance, confirming that Samuel L. Jackson would make a surprise appearance as Nick Fury to set the stage for The Avengers to assemble. Even with The Incredible Hulk scheduled for release months later, no one at the time believed it would happen, though the Jade Giant's movie did tee up the possibility of Tony Stark assembling a team to take down Bruce Banner's rageful alter-ego (an idea that was dropped when Joss Whedon took over writing duties from Zak Penn).
Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger started taking shape as Iron Man 2 touched down in theaters in 2010, but there was still a lot of scepticism surrounding the idea that Marvel Studios could bring together all these different superheroes in one movie for a full-blown team-up. It sounded impossible, and had all the makings of a complete mess. Fortunately, Whedon's The Avengers in 2012 marked a turning point for the budding MCU that would help eventually bring us movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. None of that would have been possible if Iron Man hadn't started it all with such aplomb.
For those of you who watched Iron Man on a big screen, we're sure you'll agree that it's a little hard to believe that children born that year are now adults. At 18, the MCU is also entering adulthood, and love or hate some of the movies, TV shows, and creative decisions made during that time, it's hard to deny that it's been one heck of a run for this franchise.
Funnily enough, I was 18 when Iron Man was released. While it sounds a tad overdramatic to say the movie "changed my life," it would also do it a disservice to say it didn't. After a string of disappointments like Daredevil, X-Men: The Last Stand, Spider-Man 3, and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Iron Man led to a renewed interest in superhero fare, especially with Easter Eggs and post-credits scenes that teased an exciting shared world (they're common now, but at the time, even a vague reference to another superhero was enough to break the internet).
Less than a year after Iron Man was released, I signed up for this site and the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, I've interviewed countless superheroes, seen quotes from my reviews on Blu-ray cases and on television, and found a fulfilling, hugely enjoyable career path that's allowed me to write about the characters I've loved since childhood. And you know what, the Armored Avenger's movie deserves some credit for that.
Far beyond this writer's personal life, Iron Man's impact is still being felt. After a hit-and-miss Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios has enlisted Robert Downey Jr. to return to the MCU, albeit as the villainous Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. The effect it's had on fans and the genre can't be overstated, and as the wider franchise hits 18, it still feels like the best is yet to come, especially with the likes of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Secret Wars, and the X-Men reboot on the horizon. The crazy thing? One of those films might just inspire the next generation of writers, artists, or filmmakers to chase their passion.
What are your favourite Iron Man memories? Let us know in the comments section below.