The inception of the Marvel movie craze, in my opinion, was the very first Iron Man movie, starring the one and only Robert Downey Jr. Released on May 2, 2008, the first movie netted over $580 million at the worldwide box office and become an instant hit. Two years later, Iron Man 2 was released and Iron Man 3 followed in 2013. Each of the movies were more than successful and introduced us to the invincible Iron Man.
In these movies Tony Stark, the man underneath the metal suit, is played by Downey Jr. To say he does a great job of playing the wealthy, sarcastic, and sometimes brash hero is an understatement. From beginning to end, the attitude and style of the Iron Man found in the comic book is portrayed with fantastic accuracy. Of course, praise could also be given to the directors and casting crew. It’s these same directors who realized that a man like Stark should not only be played by a fitting actor, but he should also be driving the right cars. From the very first movie it’s made clear that the cinematic Iron Man would be known for his extensive car collection.
Iron Man 1
In the first movie, audiences were introduced to the hero’s Audi R8. After the movie’s release, the R8 became synonymous with the hero. In fact, I heard many people refer to the car as “the car Iron Man drives.” Joining the German sports car in the hero’s garage were a slew of other cars, including a Shelby Cobra, Saleen S7, Tesla Roadster and a 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster.
Iron Man 2
Appearing in the sequel was the new R8 Spyder, which is shown just a few minutes into the movie. Also making an appearance was the Ford Flathead from the first movie. However, it seems that after the first movie Stark decided to either sell a few cars or house them in a garage where they were kept out of harm’s way.
Iron Man 3
The most successful out of the Iron Man movies was by far the third one, grossing over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Stark’s starring car in this movie was his new R8 e-tron, with a Bugatti Veyron Supersport making a brief appearance.
Photo by Charley Gallay/WireImage via Audi
The Avengers
One movie that the entire world had been waiting for in 2012 was the massive blockbuster known as The Avengers. In this movie Iron, Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor, Black Widow and Hulk all came together for the first time to kick some alien butt. Of course, Stark couldn’t go a movie without a flashy car, so he opted for a Acura NSX concept car. Looking back on this car, you can see the differences between it and the production version.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron
Acting as a sequel to the first Avengers movie, The Avengers: Age of Ultron centered around one of Stark’s creations, Ultron, who sought to render humans extinct. Even in such a perilous scene Stark still had time to make a scene in his brand new, redesigned Audi R8.
Captain America: Civil War
Now, in 2016, we get to see Iron Man and his team of heroes take on Captain America and his team in the upcoming film Captain America: Civil War. Who will win? If you’ve read the comics, you’ll know (I won’t spoil it), otherwise we won’t know until the movie releases on May 6. What we do know is that Stark will be driving yet another Audi R8. (Pro tip: you’ll be able to see the movie on Thursday, May 5, at most theaters.)
