Fifteen years ago this month, movie history was changed forever. And we don’t say that lightly. On May 2, 2008, when Marvel Studios released Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr., not only was a brand new mega-franchise born, a new era of cinematic storytelling came with it: the shared universe.
Now, to celebrate that anniversary, two of the men most responsible for the film — producer Kevin Feige and director Jon Favreau — sat down to have an extensive chat about the film. They talk about the big swing of making the movie at all, the gamble in casting Robert Downey Jr., how that casting changed everything, and the slow but steady realisation that what they did might be something of a hit.
It’s a 20-minute video but well worth your time for some of the stories the two share, like Feige gifting Favreau a special Star Wars book, the Marvel role Downey Jr. previously auditioned for, and how Ryan Coogler — who’d 10 years later direct Marvel Studios’ first Best Picture nominee, Black Panther — fit in. Enjoy.
Great stuff, right? I also love all the old footage of them on set, at the premiere, and that Favreau’s passion for long-form storytelling and technology has gone on to be even more influential, not just on his Disney+ show, The Mandalorian, but with movies like The Jungle Book and The Lion King too.
If you want to take a trip down memory lane to the start of the MCU, you can watch Iron Man — and basically every single movie that follows it — on Disney+. That including some of Feige’s older movies now too, like the original Spider-Man and X-Men films.
Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.