Marvel Is Recreating A Hated MCU Movie, But This Time It Might Succeed

Marvel proves that one of the most divisive MCU movies had everything it needed to be successful. The MCU's extraordinary longevity is partly a result of its ability to survive its many missteps. Across nearly two decades, Marvel Studios has survived several low points to deliver several of the most successful movies in cinema history. Even the MCU installments with mixed critical reactions have generated enough audience interest to sustain the rest of the franchise, which gives Marvel room to experiment with unfamiliar characters, new genres, and increasingly ambitious stories.

Still, several MCU movies have struggled to meet their expectations. In the Infinity Saga alone, The Incredible Hulk had Marvel's first attempt at a major crossover-era Hulk movie behind it, and yet its rather standalone nature limited its impact. Thor: The Dark World had Loki, Thor, and the growing Avengers mythos at its disposal, but it was quickly overshadowed by Captain America: The Winter Soldier. And while Avengers: Age of Ultron had the enormous advantage of being the sequel to the first Avengers movie, the Phase 2 crossover played it rather safe with its many characters and plotlines.

Sometimes the MCU delivers a very different movie than the one promised by the title and promotional materials, and sometimes, the concept simply seems stronger than the execution.

Marvel Is Remaking Iron Man 2 In The Comics

Iron Man #8; Written By Joshua Williamson; Art By Carmen Carnero & Nolan Woodard

Joshua Williamson, Carmen Carnero, and Nolan Woodard's Iron Man run concludes its first arc with Adam Ware's transformation into AIM's powerful new villain. Meanwhile, Tony Stark moves on, establishing a school of young geniuses who could eventually follow in his footsteps. However, Stark's brief moment of peace is interrupted by the arrival of Anton Vanko a.k.a. Whiplash, who crashes his School of Super-Science and almost kills him and his loved ones before he can suit up with experimental tech. On top of that, Marco Scarlotti, the original Whiplash, arrives to exact his own personal revenge on Iron Man.

Tony Stark has fought Whiplash multiple times in the past, but this rematch bears a striking resemblance to Iron Man 2. In the MCU, Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark is caught off-guard by Mickey Rourke's Ivan Vanko at the Monaco Grand Prix. Stark puts on his then-untested Mark V suit, and even though he hurts Whiplash, he's eventually overwhelmed. Vanko's MCU motivations are similar, as Ivan intends to take revenge for his father's ruined legacy, while comic-book Anton primes Stark for the original Whiplash's arrival. Additionally, Iron Man #8 references Iron Man 3 with Pepper Potts' close call, falling from broken scaffold into a fireball.

Iron Man 2's Premise Needed Better Execution

Iron Man 2 Didn't Take Its Time To Develop The Middle Chapter Of Tony Stark's Solo Trilogy

Iron Man 2 is the least popular installment of both Iron Man's movie trilogy and the MCU's entire Phase 1, but it had all the ingredients for an essential middle chapter in Tony Stark's solo journey. Stark's strained relationship with Pepper Potts, his rivalry with Justin Hammer, his partnership with Rhodey, Ivan Vanko's revenge, his growing awareness of the Avengers, and the vague adaptation of the acclaimed "Demon in a Bottle" comic all could have supported a story about a billionaire superhero who realizes that his technology can't solve every problem. Instead, Iron Man 2 moves rapidly from one subplot to another, leaving all ideas underdeveloped.

Six years earlier, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 provided the perfect example of a perfect second installment with Peter Parker's identity crisis, his strained relationship with Mary Jane, his struggle with responsibility, and Doctor Octopus' evil turn, all of which are individual parts of a single coherent emotional progression. Iron Man 2 had comparable material for Tony, particularly through the palladium poisoning storyline and his increasingly unstable behavior. Iron Man 2's release before The Avengers also contributed to the problem, as Iron Man 2 had little context from the wider MCU to add to Tony Stark's personal story.

Which Iron Man movie is your favorite?

Iron Man #8 is now available from Marvel Comics