As the early previews suggested, "Iron Man" kicked off the 2008 sumr season with a bang, grossing $35.6 million across 4,105 theaters in North Arica on its first day. Industry insiders quickly revised their opening weekend expectations from a conservative $80 million to over $100 million.
As it turned out, the flagship superhero blockbuster from Marvel Studios did not disappoint, roaring to a $110 million opening weekend and leaving this year's relatively sluggish spring season in the dust.
It was safe to say that North Arica's sumr movie season had begun with an explosion.
Ultimately, the film delivered a spectacular opening weekend at the North Arican box office.
This success launched "Iron Man" into Hollywood's pantheon of box office titans, marking the 10th best opening of all ti in North Arica. For Paramount, it was a staggering achievent, representing the best opening for an action film in the studio's history.
However, no one was more pleased with the result than Marvel Comics.
Marvel Comics desperately needed this victory to boost morale and project strength. Following their corporate restructuring, they were determined to expand their presence in the film industry and craved greater control over the movies they produced and invested in.
The brilliant "Spider-Man" had been produced and distributed by Sony Columbia, while "X-n" and "Fantastic Four" were handled by 20th Century Fox, with Marvel itself having limited involvent.
"An explosive opening! This is the most wonderful result the restructured Marvel could have hoped for."
Kevin Feige, CEO of Marvel Studios, was ecstatic as he spoke with Matthew. "The Marvel brand has proven its appeal to audiences who know that Marvel ans heroes and action films that the whole family can enjoy."
When a film seems exciting and ultimately delivers on its promise, audiences will bring their children, and everyone will co to see it.
"Robert Downey Jr. is an actor whose imnse talent is universally recognized. His acting genius, combined with a Marvel comic book hero, was destined to produce the box office success we're seeing today," Matthew remarked, naturally full of praise when reporters interviewed him.
"Downey isn't the kind of overblown, stereotypical superhero of the past. He makes everyone feel like he's one of them."
The first-week success of "Iron Man" also completely turned Robert Downey Jr.'s career around, sending it rocketing in a new direction.
Matthew was also confident that his $40 million investnt was about to pay off handsoly.
Of course, he wasn't satisfied with just that. Like anyone with a taste of success, he wanted more. He promptly obtained a list from Marvel Studios detailing their next slate of projects planned for "The Avengers" initiative.
Marvel Studios moved with incredible speed. After seeing the first day's box office returns for "Iron Man," they made several key decisions about their upcoming films: "Ant-Man" and "Doctor Strange" were temporarily shelved. Following "The Incredible Hulk," Marvel Studios would produce and release
"Iron Man 2" to solidify its newfound market recognition and gain a greater advantage.
Next, "Thor" and "Captain Arica" would be produced, allowing for the proper introduction of characters like Black Widow and Hawkeye. If everything went according to plan, "The Avengers" would make their debut after "Captain Arica".
According to his agreent with Marvel Comics, Matthew could choose which films to invest in. A single glance at the project slate provided by Marvel Studios was enough for him to exclude "Thor" from his considerations.
He clearly rembered that "The Avengers" was built around a core of Iron Man and Captain Arica. Film production companies are pragmatic, and their decisions are inevitably swayed by a film's profitability. While he didn't know the exact box office numbers for every Marvel superhero film, investing in the movies featuring the two main characters was undoubtedly the safest bet.
So, for the first phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Matthew passed on Thor and invested in "Iron Man 2," "Captain Arica," and
"The Avengers".
This was a matter Helen would soon discuss in detail with Marvel.
Marvel Studios had fast-tracked "Iron Man 2," but it still faced the dilemma of insufficient funding. Although
"Iron Man" was a massive hit, it would take ti for the box office revenue to flow in and, more importantly, for the lucrative ancillary inco to materialize.
With an eye on the future, Marvel Studios was spending promotional dollars almost frantically to maintain the montum of
"Iron Man".
"'Iron Man' ca out of nowhere and completely upended our conventional understanding of comic book heroes. Before Tony Stark, no comic book hero possessed such a flamboyant and outrageous personality. There was Superman's Clark Kent, Batman's Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man's Peter Parker, and countless others, all of whom maintained dual identities—'hero' and
'normal guy'—and went to great lengths to disguise themselves."
"Tony Stark, on the other hand, is the complete opposite—a genius, a billionaire, a playboy, and utterly unapologetic about his heroic identity. The line 'I am Iron Man!' at the film's final press conference marks the brazen birth of a new kind of superhero."
"'Iron Man' is tailored to fit the specific traits and needs of our ti. His cool, rich, and handso persona certainly appeals more to a significant portion of the younger generation of fans than the cautious superheroes of old. At the sa ti, we see that Iron Man's rise to power stems more from Tony Stark's genius and hard work than from Superman's innate talent, Spider-Man's special abilities, or Batman's technical team. The Iron Armor, from its inception to its step-by-step improvents, is entirely Tony's own creation."
"The release of 'Iron Man' brings more than just an alternative superhero; it adds a whole new dinsion to both Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel Comics. In a way, Tony Stark is also a reflection of Robert Downey Jr. Downey achieved fa early, but drugs, imprisonnt, and all sorts of trouble consud most of his pri. Fortunately, he t Matthew Horner, was recomnded by him for the cast of 'Iron Man,' and seized the role of Tony Stark to return to the spotlight with a fresh, positive image!"
"The film 'Iron Man' is both a redemption for Downey and a milestone for Marvel. Anyone who has seen the film can easily see that Marvel has a series of plans in the works. The comrcial success of 'Iron Man' signifies that Marvel Comics is breaking new ground, heralding the beginning of a great era for Marvel superheroes on the big screen, one that will last for a long ti to co."
In his office at the Warner Building in Burbank, Kevin Tsujihara, the president of Warner Bros., read the relevant article and set the newspaper down with a rather serious expression.
"Charles..." he said, addressing the man sitting across from him. "Are you certain that Marvel is planning to bring 'The Avengers' to the big screen?"
"One hundred percent certain," Charles replied.
Kevin stood and paced back and forth across his office before asking again, "And what about our Justice League?"
Charles imdiately answered, "It's still in the works. DC is a step behind Marvel."
"It doesn't matter if we're behind," Kevin waved his hand dismissively. "What matters is that we can catch up and surpass Marvel once again."
DC superhero films had always been more than a step ahead of Marvel's.
Charles reminded him, "'Iron Man' was a success, and with its current montum, it's sure to exceed $300 million at the North Arican box office."
Kevin nodded and took charge. "I'm afraid it will be more than $300 million."
"Right now, audiences are eagerly anticipating the debut of other Marvel superheroes," Charles stated a simple fact. "Especially those who have read the comics. They can't wait to see these heroes assemble into a fighting force."
He warned, "Kevin, we have to pick up the pace! Otherwise, we'll fall further and further behind Marvel."
"I know." Kevin was still pacing. "The board of directors addressed this yesterday. They've agreed to our 'Justice League' plan and will allocate sufficient funds for production."
Charles clapped his hands together. "That's fantastic!"
He stood up as well. "We're only one step behind Marvel now. It won't be hard to catch up if we accelerate. And the Justice League has a much bigger na. The Justice Trinity—Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman—have far more influence than a second-tier hero like 'Iron Man'."
Kevin said grimly, "The first film, 'Green Lantern,' is the key. Only if this first step is successful can the plan proceed."
He looked at Charles. "The review committee has given its approval, and the start-up funds will be in place soon. Charles, you have to take the helm. The success or failure of this project is critical for us."
"I understand." Charles suddenly broke into a smile. "So, I'm going to ask
Matthew Horner to play the lead."
Hearing that na, Kevin felt a surge of confidence, but he was also puzzled.
"Didn't he turn Marvel down, saying he didn't want to play a comic book hero?"
Charles explained, "That was because Marvel's salary offer was too low. We, on the other hand, are preparing a massive contract for him."
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