MCU World

Phase 1 · Infinity Saga

Iron Man (2008)

Witty · Origin story · Tech

Directed by
Jon Favreau
Released
2008-05-02
Length
126 min
▶ TrailerWhere to watch

The quick take

The film that started everything. A brilliant, arrogant engineer is forced to rethink what his work is for, and builds a suit to do something about it. It is a self-contained origin story, so it is the friendliest door into the franchise.

Watch these first

Nothing. Start here if you want the full experience.

No homework needed. You can start right here.

The bigger picture

An inventor who built his fortune on weapons sees firsthand what they do, and decides to put his talent toward something else. It runs on charm and humor more than spectacle, and a big part of the appeal is the lead performance. A short scene after the credits hints that this is only the start of something larger.

Skip it or watch it?

Do not skip. It sets the tone, the humor and the post-credits habit for every film after it.

Where it sits

Release order

#1 of 59

Before: The start

After: The Incredible Hulk

See the full release order list

Timeline order

#3 of 59

Before: Captain Marvel

After: The Incredible Hulk

See the full timeline order list

Official trailer

Watch the official trailer for Iron Man on YouTube.

▶ Find the trailer on YouTube

Where to watch

Streaming rights change by country and over time, so check before you subscribe. Links open in a new tab.

If you liked this

Phase 1 · 2010

Iron Man 2

Fame, a failing power source and a rival with a grudge. It spends a lot of time setting up the larger team-up, which makes it feel busier than the first film.

Phase 1 · 2012

The Avengers

Separate heroes are forced into the same room and have to figure out how to fight as one team. The payoff of years of setup, and still one of the most rewatchable entries.

Cast

Credited lead cast of Iron Man, in billing order. Names link to IMDb, which we do not own and are not affiliated with.