Robert Downey Jr.’s tenure as Tony Stark/Iron Man ranks among the many nice performances throughout the superhero style. Like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine or maybe Christopher Reeve as Superman, you could have a tough time imagining anybody else within the function.
It was additionally a exceptional turnaround for Downey Jr. as an individual. His casting for the unique Iron Man again in 2008 was seen as a dangerous proposition. Not lengthy earlier than profitable his dream half, the actor was out and in of rehab in addition to spending time in jail. He made simply $500,000 on the primary movie however by the top of Avengers: Endgame, eleven years later, he was making $75 million.
In that run, Downey Jr. performed the character 9 instances (not counting The Unbelievable Hulk), and he’s additionally making a cameo in Black Widow as nicely. You’d assume in all that point, each side of Stark would’ve been explored. However there’s one severe side that was solely hinted at to start with earlier than being all however deserted by the top.
That main side was Stark’s alcoholism. In actual fact, the primary time you see the character on display, he’s holding a glass of booze within the Humvee. Iron Man 2 goes a bit extra into the difficulty, as Tony drunkenly ruins a celebration and will get right into a combat with Warfare Machine (Don Cheadle). However that scene, very like the film itself, isn’t remembered for happening a darker path for the character. It’s a largely forgotten entry within the MCU, and got here at a time when Marvel was nonetheless looking for its footing throughout the bigger universe.
By the point Iron Man 3 launched, they’d changed Stark’s potential alcoholism with a PTSD subplot following the occasions of The Avengers. It was an attention-grabbing angle to deal with as a result of it may floor the occasions of the film as one thing extra than simply aliens popping out of the sky.
They finally got here up with new challenges for Stark to beat as nicely, such because the burden of an excessive amount of data and energy in Avengers: Age of Ultron to the price of collateral harm in Captain America: Civil Warfare to the duty of guiding the subsequent technology like Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his personal daughter, Morgan.
The alcoholism was definitely a missed alternative although, particularly contemplating the parallels to Downey Jr.’s personal struggles. However Marvel and the MCU have grow to be essentially the most important property inside Disney. They’re essentially the most profitable motion pictures in the meanwhile and the Mouse Home clearly didn’t wish to contact on topics that went past family-friendly.
You at all times need your favourite characters to have layers and flaws. With out that non-public wrestle, they’re too good. However whereas Iron Man didn’t absolutely decide to one of many character’s greatest flaws, they did discover new methods of difficult him in order that by the point Endgame got here round, his sacrifice meant one thing higher than simply saving the universe.
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