The title credit appears in letters that resemble iron or metal. The main closing credits are presented as three-dimensional computer design plans similar to those used by "Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.)" while working with his computer "Jarvis" to design the "Iron Man" suit. The closing credits include written thanks to numerous companies and locations, including the United States Department of Defense, Edwards Air Force Base, Marine Aircraft Group 46, The Boeing Company and MIT.
       After the closing credits, there is a brief epilogue in which Stark returns home to find "Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)," the director of SHIELD, who declares that he must speak with Stark regarding The Avengers. The Avengers are Marvel Comic super heroes who band together to fight evil. The group is featured collectively in a Marvel comic book series, and some members of the group, such as "Captain America," have individual series. News items in 2008 and 2009 reported that a film featuring The Avengers is in pre-production and that several of those characters will appear in future Iron Man sequels.
       he lengthy pre-production history of Iron Man began in the mid-1990s. A 4 Apr 1995 HR news item noted that Iron Man was in development by producers John Langley, Elie Cohen and Steven Chao, with a script by Andrew Chapman. A 5 Dec 1995 HR item noted that Nicholas Cage was interested in portraying Stark. DV reported in a 2 Jun 1998 item that Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner's CW Productions were investigating developing Iron Man with the lead to be played by Cruise. According to a 13 Feb 2003 DV article, New Line Cinema and Don Murphy of Angry Films would be teaming up with Marvel Studios' Avi Arad to adapt the comic book with Spider Man screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. A 22 Apr 2004 HR item revealed that X-Men adaptor David Hayter had been hired to do re-writes of the Gough-Millar script. A 30 Nov-6 Dec 2004 HR article stated that Nick Cassavetes was in negotiations to direct Iron Man. A 29 Apr 2005 DV item noted that while Cassavetes remained in negotiations to direct, he was working on rewrites of the Gough-Millar-Hayter script.
       In a 28-30 Apr 2006 HR article it was reported that Jon Favreau had been hired by Marvel Studios to direct Iron Man, based on a script by Arthur Marcum and Matt Holloway. The onscreen writing credits on the released film read: “Mark Fergu & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum and Matt Holloway.” A 29 Sep 2006 DV item announced that Downey, Jr. had been cast as Stark. A 7 Nov 2006 DV article listed a partial release schedule for summer 2008, which included early openings for Marvel Studios' two productions, The Incredible Hulk, released by Universal, and Iron Man. Downey, Jr. made an unbilled appearance as Stark in The Incredible Hulk.
       Multiple news items and added content on the 2008 DVD release of Iron Man reveal the following information: Rights to the Marvel Comics property created by Stan Lee originally was held by Paramount Studios, which eventually let the project lapse. Both 20th Century-Fox and New Line Cinema became interested in the film before Paramount resumed their connection to the project to become the distributor of the film, which was the first completely funded by Marvel Entertainment. Large portions of the film were shot at the Playa Vista Studios in Los Angeles. Favreau noted that Playa Vista was the vicinity where Howard Hughes, a model for genius tycoon Tony Stark, built his famous airplane, the HK-1 Hercules, better known as the “Spruce Goose.” The party sequence in Iron Man was shot at Walt Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles. A few of those involved behind-the-scenes on Iron Man also appeared in the film, most notably, director Favreau appearing as “’Happy’ Hogan,” Tony’s chauffeur. Lee, who also co-executive produced the film, appears in a cameo in which Tony mistakes him for Playboy founder and publisher, Hugh Hefner. Another co-executive producer, former child actor Peter Billingsley, plays the small role of “William Riva,” the lead technician in “Sector 16,” who attempts to modify the arc reactor to power the “Iron Monger” suit. Lone Pine, CA stood-in for Afghanistan locations. As indicated in the onscreen credits, portions of the film also were shot at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.
       The film differs from the comic book stories in many ways. Appearing for the first time in the science fiction anthology comic book Tales of Suspense in Apr 1963, the character of Iron Man/Tony Stark was a staunch anti-communist hero gravely injured in a kidnapping during the Vietnam War. As in the film, Stark’s injury required him to have a permanent device attached to his heart to keep him alive. Also similar to the film, the first Iron Man suit developed by Stark while in captivity is metallic gray. The comic series developed a second gold suit before the sleek red and gold armor suit that came to define Iron Man appeared in Dec 1963. Writer Stan Lee used the series to explore Cold War themes, focusing on big business and industry roles in the struggle. In the 1990s, Iron Man’s setting was updated to the Gulf War. In 2003, the setting became Afghanistan, but themes of industry and technology remain at the forefront of the comic series. In the series, “James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes” is a Marine Corp helicopter pilot, but his rank was changed to an Air Force colonel for the film. In the early comic book series, “Pepper Potts” remained Stark’s secretary and, along with Rhodes, was his confidant regarding his Iron Man identity, but there was no romantic tension as is implied in the film.
       Iron Man 2 film began production in early Apr 2009, with Downey, Jr. and Paltrow and Jackson reprising their roles, but Terence Howard was replaced by Don Cheadle as Rhodes. Mickey Roarke and Scarlett Johansson (as The Avenger’s “Black Widow”) joined the cast for the sequel, which is scheduled for release by Paramount in May 2010. Because Marvel Entertainment was purchased by the Walt Disney Company in Aug 2008, various articles in trade publications have speculated that future Iron Man sequels, as well as films featuring other Marvel characters, may be released under the Disney brand.
       Iron Man was selected by AFI as one of the ten Movies of the Year for 2008. The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Sound Editing and Visual Effects and SAG nominated members of the cast for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Iron Man also was nominated for Visual Effects by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.