History Trivia / IronMan1

** Creator/TomCruise and Creator/CliveOwen were originally approached for the role of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] before Creator/RobertDowneyJr was cast. However, Cruise turned down the offer due to his prior commitments to the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.
*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/JimCaviezel, Creator/NicolasCage, Creator/HughJackman and Creator/SamRockwell were also considered for the part of Tony Stark. Cage and Jackman previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] and Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} in [[Film/GhostRider2007 two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]] and the Film/XMenFilmSeries respectively. Cage would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', while Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.

** Creator/TomCruise was originally approached for the role of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] before Creator/RobertDowneyJr was cast. However, Cruise turned down the offer due to his prior commitments to the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.
*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/JimCaviezel, Creator/NicolasCage, Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CliveOwen and Creator/SamRockwell were considered for the part of Tony Stark as well. Cage and Jackman previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] and Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} in [[Film/GhostRider2007 two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]] and the Film/XMenFilmSeries respectively. Cage would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', while Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.

*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/JimCaviezel, Creator/NicolasCage, Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CliveOwen and Creator/SamRockwell were considered for the part of Tony Stark. Cage and Jackman previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] and Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} in [[Film/GhostRider2007 two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]] and the Film/XMenFilmSeries respectively. Cage would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', while Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.

** Creator/TomCruise was originally approached for the role of Tony Stark. However, Cruise turned down the offer due to his prior commitments to the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.
*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/JimCaviezel, Creator/NicolasCage, Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CliveOwen and Creator/SamRockwell were considered for the part of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] before Creator/RobertDowneyJr was cast. Cage and Jackman previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] and Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} in [[Film/GhostRider2007 two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]] and the Film/XMenFilmSeries respectively. Cage would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', while Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.

** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/NicolasCage, Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CliveOwen and Creator/SamRockwell were considered for the part of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] before Creator/RobertDowneyJr was cast. Cage and Jackman previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] and Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} in [[Film/GhostRider2007 two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]] and the Film/XMenFilmSeries respectively. Cage would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', while Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.
*** Creator/TomCruise was originally approached for the role of Tony Stark. However, Cruise turned down the offer due to his prior commitments to the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.

** There was originally a detailed explanation of the suit's HUD, but test audiences turned out to quickly be able to make sense of it, and were actually more confused by the explanation, so it was all taken out.

* TheOtherDarrin: Famously, Terrence Howard plays Rhodey in this film, to be replaced by Don Cheadle for the rest of the franchise. Less famously, Gerard Sanders portrays Howard Stark in a photo montage early in the film, to be replaced by John Slattery in the later films (except Captain America) and Dominic Cooper in the TV shows (and Captain America).
* PlayingAgainstType: Boyish hero in Tron, Father Figure in Seabiscuit and White Squall... Jeff Bridges turns it in as a truly vile villain.

** Creator/DavidHayter worked on the script, but was uncredited due to a WGA rule due to only working on the film before the formation of Marvel Studios

** Creator/TomCruise and Creator/CliveOwen were originally approached for the role of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] before Creator/RobertDowneyJr was cast. However, Cruise turned down the offer due to his prior commitments to the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.
*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/NicolasCage, Creator/HughJackman and Creator/SamRockwell were also considered for the part of Tony Stark. Cage and Jackman previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] and Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} in [[Film/GhostRider2007 two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]] and the Film/XMenFilmSeries respectively. Cage would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', while Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.

* HarpoDoesSomethingFunny: Apparently a good deal of the dialog was like this; not just Tony Stark's. It's reported that most of the script was a brief summary of what the actors needed to say, and from there they were allowed to pretty much improvise the finer details, which is why the dialogue feels a lot more naturalistic. This is how everyone discovered Creator/RobertDowneyJr is a witty bastard, hence Iron Man's [[CharacterizationMarchesOn new characterization]] as a DeadpanSnarker. Creator/JeffBridges described the experience as a if he were working on a $200 million college film.

** When the film was officially set up at Marvel Studios as the start of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, [[YellowPeril the Mandarin]] was originally set to be the main antagonist. Creator/MarkMillar convinced Creator/JonFavreau to go with Iron Monger instead, arguing that the Mandarin was a poor tonal fit for an origin movie. Eventually, ''a'' Mandarin appeared in ''Iron Man 3'', even if it turned out to be a fraud, and [[AdaptationalVillainy Aldrich Killian]] was given a similar role (and dragon tattoos), but the real Mandarin makes his debut in ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings''.
*** The actual plot would have involved the Mandarin attempting to tunnel beneath Stark Industries to steal Tony's tech.

** A new script was written for Creator/NewLineCinema, which featured a {{Cameo}} from ComicBook/NickFury to [[PoorlyDisguisedPilot set the character up for his own movie]]. Subsequent drafts also featured Howard Stark (who was still alive in this version) as ComicBook/WarMachine, the movie's BigBad. The execs also made bizarre demands and suggestions, such as saying that Iron Man shouldn't fly and should suit up by using a toaster. Creator/DavidHayter did some work on the script, while both Creator/JossWhedon and Creator/NickCassavetes were approached to direct. When production stalled for too long, the license lapsed and the rights returned to Marvel. Whedon would later go on to direct ''{{Film/The Avengers|2012}}'' and ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron''.

** Creator/TomCruise and Creator/CliveOwen were approached for the role of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] before Creator/RobertDowneyJr was cast. However, Cruise turned down the offer due to prior commitments to the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.

** Creator/RachelMcAdams was approached for the part of Pepper Potts before the casting of Creator/GwynethPaltrow. [=McAdams=] would later go on to play Christine Palmer in ''Film/{{Doctor Strange|2016}}.''

** Famously, Creator/TomCruise was the first choice for the role of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]]. However, the project was shuffled around for a few years and Creator/{{Paramount}} lost the rights. When they obtained the rights back, Cruise became occupied with other film franchises such as the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.
*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/CliveOwen, Creator/NicolasCage and Creator/SamRockwell were also considered for the part of Tony Stark. Cage previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] in [[Film/GhostRider2007 two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]], and would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse''. Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.
*** Creator/HughJackman was offered the titular role as well, but turned it down due to his commitments to the Film/XMenFilmSeries as ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}.

* CreatorChosenCasting:
** Creator/JonFavreau cast Creator/RobertDowneyJr after seeing ''Film/KissKissBangBang''. He also believed that Downey's past made him an appropriate choice for the part and that he could not only make Stark a "likable asshole," but also portray an authentic emotional journey, once he had won over the audience.
** Favreau cast Creator/TerrenceHoward as Rhodey because he believed that he could play ComicBook/WarMachine in a sequel. Obviously, that ended up not being the case.

*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/CliveOwen, Creator/NicolasCage and Creator/SamRockwell were also considered for the part of Tony Stark. Cage previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] in [[Film/GhostRider two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]], and would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse''. Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.

** The Mark II's icing problem was originally not the ChekovsGun it is in the finished film. It was added during reshoots when the filmmakers decided they needed an extra beat in the final battle.

** Music/HarryGregsonWilliams was approached to score the film, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/PrinceCaspian''.

*** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/CliveOwen, Creator/NicolasCage, and Creator/SamRockwell were also considered for the part of Tony Stark. Cage previously played [[ComicBook/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] in [[Film/GhostRider two]] ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' [[Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance movies]], and would go on to voice ComicBook/SpiderManNoir in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse''. Rockwell would eventually go on to portray [[BigBadWannabe Justin Hammer]] in ''Film/IronMan2''.

** Music/HarryGregsonWilliams was approached dto score the film, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/PrinceCaspian''.

** Creator/TomCruise was the first choice for the role of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] before Creator/RobertDowneyJr was cast. However, the project was shuffled around for a few years and Creator/{{Paramount}} lost the rights. When they obtained the rights back, Cruise became occupied with other film franchises such as the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''.

*** Creator/HughJackman was approached the titular role as well, but turned down the offer due to his commitments to the Film/XMenFilmSeries as ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}.

** Music/HarryGregsonWilliams was offered to score the film before Music/RaminDjawadi was hired, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/PrinceCaspian''.