Why ‘Iron Man’ Wouldn’t Have the Same Effect in 2022…
A beloved character, and the very starting point of the MCU, we discuss why the iconic character of Tony Stark, and the 2008 classic, Iron Man, wouldn’t have the same effect if it were released in 2022…
There are few characters that are endeared to the hearts of Marvel fans as the very first character to be shown from within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Iron Man. Photo: Marvel
Robert Downey Jr., despite the character’s sacrificial death at the final entry into the MCUs Infinity Saga, has continued to be one of the most adored characters of the vast Marvel Cinematic Universe; a compliment to his remarkable performance, and its connection with fans.
A billionaire industrialist who was birthed into a legacy that crafted a nearly unrivaled fortune by selling weaponry to the military, Stark was the image of a man reformed.
Source: Marvel
Following the events of the character’s first MCU film- in which he is abducted by a terrorist organization and held for ransom- Stark committed his life, and his finances, to craft a superhuman persona dedicated to protecting the innocent and standing against the unjust.
Yet, for all of the reformation of the characters overarching narrative, the premise feels foreign to the current world in which we inhabit.
Iron Man 2. Photo: Marvel
That film took place well over a decade ago, and since its release, we have seen a global pandemic nearly collapse the infrastructure of the country, the rebellion against the financial elite in times of economic deterioration, and global military conquests that have shaken our faith in peace and prosperity
In fewer words, the world is entirely different than it was in 2008…and it is that fact that leads to the sad, but true statement; Iron Man, simply, wouldn’t have the same effect in 2022.
Photo: Marvel
How could 2022 America find a hero to trust, believe in, and root for within the confines of a man who crafted a lifelong fortune selling weaponry to military conflicts, and then reveling in the adoration from people when he decides to use his funds to craft a robotic suit and take the weaponry in his own hands?
The perception of the wealthy has changed tremendously within the public sphere; we no longer look upon billionaires as to be admired, but have been overwhelmed by a pessimism that soaks our gaze in disdain, and perforates opinions with the belief that their success was gained at the cost of someone else
Source: Marvel
Tony Stark is the MCU equivalent to Jeff Bezos in a certain sense- with his tremendous wealth being gained in ways that make him unappealing to the average individual- and I refuse to believe that if Bezos invented an Iron Man suit to blast away crime we would all begin celebrating him
What makes the character an even tougher sell to the world in 2022 are, quite frankly, the personality flaws that have defined him; flaws that took a decade worth of films to break the character free of.
Photo: Marvel
The first two entries into the franchise saw Tony Stark who was interested in what he could gain from women; a fact that even contributed to the villain of the character’s third film.
His behavior towards his female compatriots is, in the kindest way to state it, off-putting, and reinforces the reality that he is a character that was saved by the charisma and magnetism of Robert Downy Jr.; as Tony Stark seems constantly uninterested in protecting himself from the perception of the audience
Source: Marvel Studios
All of these come across as inherently negative, which doesn’t do justice to the tremendous growth of the character over his decade-long arc in the MCU.
Stark will forever be one of the most important characters in the history of the MCU- he truly will always be the insisting hero for which all of the MCU was crafted- and he deserves to be celebrated for that tremendous reality.
Tony Stark’s death. Photo: Marvel
But that doesn’t change the fact that Iron Man wouldn’t have the same effect in 2022, and perhaps could only have worked prior to the altering world we inhabit today.
