Welcome to the Road to AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, which is my own little retrospective of each of Marvel Studios' films every week of 2018. By the time I am done looking back at all of the MCU movies, Infinity War will be releasing in theaters in the U.S. on May 4. So let's begin...
The one that started it all, IRON MAN. Released on May 2, 2008, the movie was a huge Hollywood risk putting the fate of a somewhat unknown super hero — which is funny to write and think about now — in the hands of director Jon Favreau and leading actor Robert Downey Jr.
To say there was a lot skepticism for this film is an understatement. I remember Marvel fans were questioning both the hiring of Favreau and casting of Downey Jr. to the point where there were thoughts of failure before even seeing a first trailer. It's silly to even think this now, but that's how this movie was viewed a decade ago while it was in pre-production and principle photography.
For me, I've been a fan of both Favreau and Downey Jr. prior to IRON MAN and the moment it was announced that RDJ was going to be Tony Stark / Iron Man, I could not have a bigger smile on my face. My gut told me it was such a great casting that was so perfect, it was destined to be a success. Unfortunately, a lot of other comic book fans did not see it the same.
Then Marvel fans everywhere got to see its trailer...
I vividly remember the reaction online and it was one of instant excitement, and many were eating some crow because they were immediately wrong about Favreau and RDJ. Favreau and this new studio called Marvel Studios had the tone and style of the movie locked in. Not to mention the fact that Downey Jr. nailed Stark's character so perfectly it was almost like he was born to play the role. (Spoiler alert, he was.)
When the film opened it burst through breaking all expectations with a $98 million opening weekend, domestically. This high risk / high reward Marvel Studios film, which had a production budget of $140 million, was a huge success bringing in a total of $585 million immediately signaling to the rest of Hollywood that Marvel Studios had officially arrived and was about to embark on their conquest of the movie industry by changing the game with an inter-connected cinematic universe the likes of what has never been seen before on the big screen.
But that's not the best part... this happened was when fans stayed through the credits to see actor Samuel L. Jackson make a surprise appearance as Nick Fury. He teased fans that something bigger was coming... the Avengers. Thus, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was officially born and fans immediately knew that they might just see fellow Avengers like Captain America, Thor, and the Hulk sooner than later.
Written by Daniel Wolf, Founder & Publisher
When the film opened it burst through breaking all expectations with a $98 million opening weekend, domestically. This high risk / high reward Marvel Studios film, which had a production budget of $140 million, was a huge success bringing in a total of $585 million immediately signaling to the rest of Hollywood that Marvel Studios had officially arrived and was about to embark on their conquest of the movie industry by changing the game with an inter-connected cinematic universe the likes of what has never been seen before on the big screen.
But that's not the best part... this happened was when fans stayed through the credits to see actor Samuel L. Jackson make a surprise appearance as Nick Fury. He teased fans that something bigger was coming... the Avengers. Thus, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was officially born and fans immediately knew that they might just see fellow Avengers like Captain America, Thor, and the Hulk sooner than later.
Written by Daniel Wolf, Founder & Publisher
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