Here’s something that’s a little hard to believe — Robert Downey Jr. had the role of Iron Man for over 10 years. It all started back in 2008 when his first movie was released. Downey was reportedly hand-picked for the role by director Jon Favreau, who felt as if his story was similar to that of Tony Stark.
For years, Downey had made headlines for all the wrong reasons — he went to prison, and also battled an addiction to drugs, sending him to rehab. But this movie was a reminder to everyone that regardless of his past, he’s still an amazing actor who is capable of moving on. As Tony Stark, he portrayed a billionaire engineer who’s the son of a successful inventor. His character is known as a playboy who doesn’t have the healthiest lifestyle. After an accident, he constructs the Iron Man suit in order to help stay alive.
While his character has grown tremendously since the first film, it’s always good to look back and see how Iron Man originated, especially if you’re planning on rewatching the Avengers movies. Luckily, Iron Man is streaming, thanks to Disney+. Here’s how to watch Iron Man online.
How to Stream ‘Iron Man’ – Exclusively on Disney+
Iron Man is one of the many Marvel movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream Iron Man and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Iron Man”
- 5. Tap on “Iron Man”
- 6. Tap the PLAY button
- 7. Enjoy!
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘Iron Man’: Overview
Release Date: May 2, 2008 (In the United States)
Creators: Screenplay by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Matt Holloway, and Art Marcum
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges
Rating: PG-13
Synopsis: Billionaire Tony Stark creates a special suit as a method of survival, and then realizes how powerful he can become.
How Long Is ‘Iron Man’?
Iron Man is 126 minutes.
‘Iron Man’ Plot
Tony Stark is currently in charge of defense contractor Stark Industries after his inventor father left it to him. Stationed in Afghanistan to showcase their new “Jericho” missile, Stark is attacked and wounded. Shrapnel shards enter his body, but while being imprisoned, he’s still kept alive. Held as a hostage by Ten Rings, he’s offered his freedom back if he creates a missile for the group. Unfortunately, Stark doesn’t believe that they’ll actually keep their promise. While kept as a prisoner, Stark manages to create the start of an Iron Man suit that’ll help free him and keep him alive. After leaving, he decides that Stark Industries needs to get out of the weapon business, after seeing what a Stark missile is truly capable of. Obadiah Stane, who worked with Stark’s father, thinks it’s a bad idea — and tries to sabotage Stark’s plan by hiring the Ten Rings to try and kill him. The two battle it out, with Stane having a suit of his own. At the end, Stark has no problem admitting that he’s Iron Man.
‘Iron Man’ Cast
The movie was a huge hit for Robert Downey Jr., who had no trouble carrying the film and the sequels that came after it. Here’s a roundup of Iron Man‘s lead actors and actresses.
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark
Downey plays Tony Stark, who morphs into Iron Man as a way to fight evil. As mentioned earlier, director Jon Favreau fought with Marvel to give him this role, as he knew he’d be perfect. He was rejected multiple times but continued bringing his name to the table. “It was my job as a director to show that it was the best choice creatively…and now the Marvel Universe is the biggest franchise in film history,” Favreau said to 100.3 Jack FM. Before Iron Man, Downey starred as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin and had a role in the TV series Ally McBeal
Terrence Howard as Rhodey
Rhodey, also known as War Machine in the comics and later movies, was played by Terrence Howard, who didn’t continue on with the role due to being underpaid. “”It turns out that the person I helped become Iron Man…when it was time to re-up for the second one took the money that was supposed to go to me and pushed me out,” Howard admitted on Watch What Happens Live. The role was taken over by Don Cheadle.
Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane
Jeff Bridges plays Obadiah Stane. Later known as the Iron Monger, Stane was the interim CEO of Stark Industries up until Tony decided to take over. That jealousy leads to Stane’s attempt to kill Stark. According to Bridges, he was initially told that Stane would survive through the movie, but that wasn’t the direction that the film went. “When I was hired on, it was scripted that Obadiah would live, that when they opened his Iron Monger suit…he was not in it,” he said, according to SlashFilms. “Then, they decided to kill my ass off. Telling me ‘it’s a comic-fantasy, so who knows, your character could come back.'”
Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts
Gwyneth Paltrow plays Pepper Potts, the love interest of Tony Stark. He’s key in helping run Stark Industries. Paltrow has stated that she’d be part of the franchise for as long as Downey was playing Iron Man, but has admitted this year that she’s a “bit old to be in a suit and all that at this point.” Paltrow held the role throughout all of the sequels and multiple other Marvel films.
‘Iron Man’ Songs and Soundtrack
One of the biggest songs in Iron Man is “Back In Black” by AC/DC. Other songs featured in the film include “Slept on Tony with Dirt” by Ghostface Killah, “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, “Damn Kid” by DJ Boborobo, and “Institutionalized” by Suicidal Tendencies.
‘Iron Man’ at the Box Office
Iron Man was a massive success for Marvel. Worldwide, it grossed $585,366,247, with an opening weekend amount of $98,618,668. The movie opened in 4,105 theaters and was able to be screened theatrically between May 2nd and October 2nd in 2018.
‘Iron Man’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
The movie was also a hit with critics, earning an aggregated score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Most of the critics commented on Downey’s confident and funny acting, which helped make the character of Tony Stark likable. Without Downey in the role, it may not have been as successful. “The movie is so clever and smoothly paced that it’s easy to overlook the odious storyline, in which Stark suffers an attack of conscience during a disastrous trip to Afghanistan, realizes his corporation is supplying Taliban-like bad guys and goes after them in his iron death suit,” wrote the Chicago Reader.
Where ‘Iron Man’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
Iron Man is important for one big reason — it was the movie that helped kick off the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If this movie bombed, it’s unclear as to whether or not we’d get to see Avengers movies, all of which were blockbusters. Iron Man proved that superhero movies could have a little heart to them.
‘Iron Man’ Trailer
‘Iron Man’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
As the first Marvel movie, you can bet that a lot of time went into making sure Iron Man was the best it could be. Here are five fast facts about the making of the movie.
1. The Movie Was Going to Be Released by New Line, but Things Didn’t Work Out
New Line executive Bob Shaye was reportedly a little skeptical about the whole concept of Iron Man. For one, Iron Man wasn’t as popular of a character as Superman or Batman. Secondly, he didn’t think that a metal suit would be capable of flying. At the time, Marvel had just started their studio and scooped up the character once again after New Line’s option expired in 2005. Marvel tried to drum up some interest in the character before the film to make sure that it’d be a hit, as they had a lot riding on the movie being successful.
2. Robert Downey Jr. Wore a Tuxedo to His Screen Test
As mentioned, it was a gamble hiring Robert Downey Jr. for the role — so, he had to find ways to prove he was serious about this. He was trying to get his career back, so he dressed for success. The look was also something that Tony Stark would pull off.
3. Favreau Encouraged Downey to Improvise
Downey tried his hardest to make sure the script was perfect, and that means that a little bit of improvisation happened when the cameras were rolling. In fact, one of the most memorable lines — Downey admitting he’s Iron Man — wasn’t in the script.
4. Tom Cruise Was Once Considered for the Role
Before Marvel got the rights to the character again, Tom Cruise had expressed interest. But, back then the script wasn’t quite as solid and he ended up backing out. While he would have done a decent job with the role, it’s hard to imagine based on how well Downey did.
5. Paul Bettany, Who Voiced JARVIS, Got the Role in an Almost Insulting Way
Bettany later joined the Marvel Universe in a different form — he plays Vision. But he got his start as JARVIS, Tony Stark’s AI. JARVIS, which stands for “Just A Rather Very Intelligent System,” is a big help to Stark during the movie. Jon Favreau had Bettany in mind from the start. “I got a phone call from Jon Favreau saying, ‘I need the voice of a personality-less robot and I thought of you immediately,'” Bettany revealed. “I thought that was the funniest thing I ever heard, so I said ‘Yes.'”