History Trivia / IronMan3

* ExecutiveMeddling: Ellen Brandt and Maya Hansen were originally going to have larger roles in the story and the villain was supposed to be female, but Marvel's Creative Committee (particularly the notoriously sexist Ike Perlmutter) insisted that the BigBad had to be male, following the reasoning that toys based on female characters wouldn't sell (ironically, not a single toy of the film's true BigBad, [[spoiler:Killian]] was ever made for the film). The entire script had to be altered as a result.

*** Creator/GemmaArterton, Creator/DianeKruger, and Creator/IslaFisher were also considered for the part of Maya Hansen before the casting of Hall. Arterton was previously considered for [[ComicBook/BlackWidow Natasha Romanoff]] and [[Characters/MCUPeggyCarter Peggy Carter]] in ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger''.

* CreatorBacklash: Mild example, but Creator/RebeccaHall was unhappy that she was led to believe Maya Hansen would have a bigger role, [[spoiler: only for the character to be killed off before the third act]].

* ExecutiveMeddling: Ellen Brandt and Maya Hansen were originally going to have larger roles in the story and the villain was supposed to be female, but Marvel's Creative Committee (particularly the notoriously sexist Ike Perlmutter) insisted that the BigBad had to be male, following the reasoning that toys based on female characters wouldn't sell (ironically, toys of either Hansen or [[spoiler: Killian]] were never made for the film). The entire script had to be altered as a result.

* OldShame: Not for the whole film itself, it seems as though the MCU's writers don't seem to hold the movie's plot twist ([[spoiler:that the Mandarin is really an actor to distract the audience from the real villain, Aldrich Killian]]) in high regard based on the absurd amount of LeaningOnTheFourthWall in ''Film/AllHailTheKing'', along with the {{Retcon}} that stated that [[spoiler:there is a "real" Mandarin that exists, and he's not happy with what happened in the events of ''Iron Man 3''. Said real Mandarin would eventually become the main antagonist of ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'']].

** Creator/AnthonyMackie auditioned for the [[BigBad Mandarin]] before the casting of Creator/BenKingsley. Mackie would eventually go on to portray [[ComicBook/TheFalcon Sam Wilson]] in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.

* FlipFlopOfGod: Oh, boy, the Mandarin... Creator/ShaneBlack initially said he had no intention of doing the Mandarin at all, citing the character's reputation as a racist stereotype as the reason[[note]][[CriticalResearchFailure Apparently unaware that later writers]] [[ReimaginingTheArtifact heavily toned down the offensive elements of the character]] [[CharacterizationMarchesOn and evolved him into a more well-rounded individual]] [[EvilIsCool that is probably Iron Man's single most popular villain]][[/note]]. The Mandarin ended up appearing as the main villain, albeit casting the half-Indian Creator/BenKingsley as the Mandarin in order to avoid offending Chinese audiences and the movie's own Chinese financial backers. [[spoiler:Later, Black originally stated both in [[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/05/04/iron-man-3-mandarin-spoiler/3/ an interview]] and on the commentary that Aldrich Killian was the actual MCU incarnation of the Mandarin, not Kingsley's Trevor Slattery.]] However... [[spoiler: ''Film/AllHailTheKing'' retconned it, revealing that Killian wasn't really the Mandarin, either, but someone else who is the real Mandarin wasn't happy with what Killian and Trevor did. Despite being assumed that this was because [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks how]] [[BrokenBase some people]] reacted to Killian being the Mandarin, co-writer Drew Pearce later said the short was ''not'' made to please Mandarin fans, but to fix the potential {{Plot Hole}}s caused by TheReveal, with ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' giving us the true "Mandarin" (the film showing he hates the name), Wenwu]].

* ItWasHisSled: The [[spoiler: twist of the Mandarin actually being a charlatan]] was a closely guarded secret in the lead up to the original release, but has since become so controversial and well known that it ended up as the single most remembered aspect of the entire film.

** Creator/JessicaChastain was initially approached for the role of Maya Hansen before Creator/RebeccaHall was cast, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/TheDisappearanceOfEleanorRigby''. Chastain would later go on to play [[BigBad D'Bari Vuk]] in ''Film/DarkPhoenix''.
*** Creator/GemmaArterton, Creator/DianeKruger, and Creator/IslaFisher were also considered for Maya Hansen before the casting of Hall. Arterton was previously considered for [[ComicBook/BlackWidow Natasha Romanoff]] and [[Characters/MCUPeggyCarter Peggy Carter]] in ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger''.
** Creator/AnthonyMackie auditioned for the part of the [[BigBad Mandarin]] before the casting of Creator/BenKingsley. Mackie would eventually go on to portray [[ComicBook/TheFalcon Sam Wilson]] in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.

** Creator/TomHopper was offered to direct the film before Creator/ShaneBlack was hired.

** Creator/JessicaChastain was initially approached to play Maya Hansen before Creator/RebeccaHall, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/TheDisappearanceOfEleanorRigby''. Chastain would later portray [[BigBad Vuk]] in ''Film/DarkPhoenix''.
*** Creator/GemmaArterton, Creator/DianeKruger, and Creator/IslaFisher were also considered for Maya. Arterton was previously considered for [[ComicBook/BlackWidow Natasha Romanoff]] and [[Characters/MCUPeggyCarter Peggy Carter]] in ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', respectively.
** Creator/AnthonyMackie auditioned for the [[BigBad Mandarin]] before Creator/BenKingsley. Mackie would eventually go on to portray [[ComicBook/TheFalcon Sam Wilson]] in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.
** Creator/JudeLaw was considered for Aldrich Killian. He would later portray [[spoiler: Yon-Rogg]] in ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}''.
** Creator/EmiliaClarke was originally cast as an unspecified character, but changes to the script led to her being removed from the film. She would eventually join the MCU, nearly ten years as part of ''Secret Invasion''.
** Creator/TomHooper was offered to direct the film before Creator/ShaneBlack was hired.

----

* QuoteSource: This film provides the page quote for:
** EmbarrassingPassword
** MilitarySuperhero
** ParentNeverCameBackFromTheStore
** UniversalAmmunition

** Creator/JessicaChastain was initially approached for the role of Maya Hansen before Creator/RebeccaHall was cast, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/TheDisappearanceOfEleanorRigby''. Chastain would later go on to play [[BigBad Vuk]] in ''Film/DarkPhoenix''.
*** Creator/GemmaArterton, Creator/DianeKruger, and Creator/IslaFisher were also considered for Maya Hansen before the casting of Hall. Arterton was previously considered for [[ComicBook/BlackWidow Natasha Romanoff]] and [[Characters/MCUPeggyCarter Peggy Carter]] in ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger''.
** Creator/AnthonyMackie auditioned for the part of the [[BigBad Mandarin]] before the casting of Creator/BenKingsley. Mackie would eventually go on to portray [[ComicBook/TheFalcon Sam Wilson]] in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.
** Creator/JudeLaw was considered for the role of Aldrich Killian before Creator/GuyPearce was cast. Law would later go on to play [[spoiler: Yon-Rogg]] in ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}''.
** Creator/EmiliaClarke was originally cast in the film as an unspecified character, but changes to the script led to her being removed from the movie. She would eventually join the MCU, nearly ten years as part of ''Secret Invasion''.

** Creator/JonFavreau refusing to direct the film meant that his original plan for the Mandarin was nixed. During a 2008 interview, Favreau had mentioned that he envisioned the Mandarin as the true GreaterScopeVillain of the ''Iron Man'' film series, likening him to [[Franchise/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]] and [[Franchise/StarWars Emperor Palpatine]]. Despite the first two movies having {{Foreshadowing}} for the character, Favreau's departure from the director's chair for ''Iron Man 3'' meant that this idea was never fulfilled. Once Shane Black and Drew Pearce took over, they instead went with the idea that the Mandarin was [[spoiler: merely a charlatan and DecoyLeader, though a Marvel One-Shot revisits the idea of a real Mandarin being out there]]. The Mandarin finally appeared in ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings''

** A flashback featuring Tony's mother was planned, but ended up being cut from the film despite an actress being cast. This idea was revisited in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', where Creator/HopeDavis appeared as Maria Stark during a presentation of the BARF holographic device [[spoiler:[[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome Mysterio's]] invention]] that showed Tony when he was younger.

** Creator/JonFavreau refusing to direct the film meant that his original plan for the Mandarin was nixed. During a 2008 interview, Favreau had mentioned that he envisioned the Mandarin as the true GreaterScopeVillain of the ''Iron Man'' film series, likening him to [[Franchise/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]] and [[Franchise/StarWars Emperor Palpatine]]. Despite the first two movies having {{Foreshadowing}} for the character, Favreau's departure from the director's chair for ''Iron Man 3'' meant that this idea was never fulfilled. Once Shane Black and Drew Pearce took over, they instead went with the idea that the Mandarin was [[spoiler: merely a charlatan and DecoyLeader, though a Marvel One-Shot revisits the idea of a real Mandarin being out there]]. ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' will ultimately be the debut of the Mandarin in the MCU.

** A flashback featuring Tony's mother was planned, but ended up being cut from the film despite an actress being cast. This idea was revisited in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', where Hope Davis appeared as Maria Stark during a presentation of the BARF holographic device [[spoiler:[[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome Mysterio's]] invention]] that showed Tony when he was younger.

* SparedByTheCut: In an interview regarding ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', Creator/KevinFeige revealed that Happy Hogan was originally planned to die. Creator/JonFavreau was the one who insisted that Hogan ends up in a coma instead of dying.

** [[spoiler:Trevor Slattery/The Mandarin]] was originally slated to die at the end of the movie, exploding after injecting himself with Extremis.

* CrossRegionalVoiceActing: While the Canadian French dub of this film was still recorded in Montreal, it also incorporated voice actors from the European French dub recorded in Paris, including Bernard Gabay as Iron Man. Since then, all of the MCU films' Canadian French releases have been recorded in Montreal and Paris.

* SparedByTheCut: According to Creator/KevinFeige, Happy Hogan was originally going to die, but Creator/JonFavreau asked that he be severely injured instead.

** In an interview regarding ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', Creator/KevinFeige revealed that Happy Hogan was originally planned to die in ''Iron Man 3''. Jon Favreau was the one who insisted that Hogan ends up in a coma instead of dying.

* DeletedScene: The original cut of the film was ''three hours and fifteen minutes long''.
** Happy Hogan confronts Eric Savin outside Stark Industries, and the two exchange insults.
** The Mandarin talks on the phone about the bombing of the Chinese Theater.
** In the White House's Situation Room, James Rhodes tells a team of analysts to keep analyzing the destruction of Tony Stark's mansion, the aftermath of which is displayed via news coverage on a TV monitor. He is then told by a government agent that the Iron Patriot armor will be ready to fly soon. Looking at the monitor, the agent apologizes for what has happened to his friend, but Rhodes knows that he will be fine as "he has died on me before". He then says he is going after him, which is assumed to be his friend, but is really going after The Mandarin. Rhodes knows that his friend will be "like a cowboy, not thinking clearly, a sitting duck", out wherever he is and then turns to leave. The agent turns to see a global scanning of the country, with no sign of Rhodey's friend anywhere.
** Tony Stark encounters Harley Keener's bully, E.J.
** While running from Eric Savin during the Battle of Rose Hill, Stark sees E.J. on his all-terrain vehicle. Stark tries to warn him about the water tower collapsing, but he does not listen and gets caught in the wave. Keener pulls E.J. from the water, and sees that he is not breathing. Stark uses his Arc Reactor to get E.J. breathing again, nearly killing himself in the process until Keener replaces the Arc Reactor.
** Many takes of Gary meeting Stark.
** During the Beauty Pageant, Miss Elk Ridge is asked what she would want most of all for Christmas. She says that she just wants everyone to love each other, starting to tear up in the middle of her saying it, as the rest of the auditorium starts tearing up. It is revealed that Tony released tear gas from outside the auditorium, as he is shown talking in a fake western accent on a pay phone, explaining to the authorities what has happened, hiding the tear gas canister behind the door as everyone runs out away from it.
** After Aldrich Killian shoots Maya Hansen and leaves, Hansen crawls over to a flower that is about to explode from Extremis. She uses a computer to transfer all Extremis data to Stark so he can use it. The flower explodes and incinerates Hansen.
** Onboard Air Force One, Savin, in the Iron Patriot Armor, is annoyed by a passenger. He says "Hey, is that Thor?", then knocks the man out when he is distracted.
** Tony and Rhodey use Trevor Slattery's acting skills to fool a guard. This scene includes several alternate takes where Rhodey asks Slattery to perform different accents.
** In the Chinese version of the movie, Dr. Wu is assisted by Wu Jiaqi in removing shrapnel from Stark's chest.
** The Chinese version included longer dialogue between Dr. Wu, Tony and Ho Yinsen and an alternate take when Tony leaves.
** The Chinese version also includes a new scene where Jarvis and Dr. Wu talk on the phone about Tony.

* FanNickname
** Iron Man Mark XLII: "Mustard Man".
** Iron Man Mark XXXVIII "Igor": [[Film/TheIncredibleHulk Hulkbuster]] or [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Terminator.]]
** War Machine/Iron Patriot: "[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Captain Machine: The Non-Avenger]]".
** The Iron Legion army: "[[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Unlimited Suit Works]]".
** Film: ''[[Film/TheDarkKnightRises The Iron Man Rises]]'' or ''The Stark Knight Rises'', due to the film's wider scope, grittier story-telling and more heartrending CharacterDevelopment.
** "Hot Pepper" - Pepper after [[spoiler:she manifests [[PlayingWithFire her Extremis powers]]]]

* ChannelHop: Originally due to be distributed by Creator/{{Paramount}}, but given to Creator/{{Disney}} after they purchased Marvel. Like ''[[Film/TheAvengers2012 The Avengers]]'', Paramount are still credited as the film's distributor for contractual reasons.

** Creator/JessicaChastain was initially approached for the role of Maya Hansen before Creator/RebeccaHall was cast, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/TheDisappearanceOfEleanorRigby''. Chastain would later go on to play [[BigBad D'Bari Vuk]] in ''Film/DarkPhoenix''.

** [[Film/LesMiserables2012 Tom Hooper]] was offered to direct the film before Creator/ShaneBlack was hired.

Trivia for ''Film/IronMan3''.

** Creator/GemmaArterton, Creator/DianeKruger, and Creator/IslaFisher were also considered for Maya Hansen before the casting of Hall. Arterton was previously considered for [[ComicBook/BlackWidow Natasha Romanoff]] and [[Characters/MCUPeggyCarter Peggy Carter]] in ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger''.

* {{Uncredited Role}}: {{Creator/Mark Ruffalo}} is uncredited for his cameo as Bruce Banner in the post-credits scene.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/MarvelCinematicUniverse Enough for its own page]]