Trivia / Iron Eagle

• Acclaimed Flop: A particularly weird example for Iron Eagle II. Despite being critically panned and a financial failure, the film was nominated for three Genies (Canadian Oscars) come award season, including a Best Supporting Actor nod to Maury Chaykin.
  • This certainly didn't help the perception at the time that English-language Canadian filmmaking was just aimed at moneymaking in the international market and not rewarding quality films.
• Actor Leaves, Character Dies: Supposedly the reasons the character of Doug was killed off so abruptly in the first sequel was because actor Jason Gedrick had difficulty getting a Canadian work permit. Had it gone through, it's possible he would have continued to have been the series protagonist. Though this was later ret-conned in the fourth movie where it was revealed he survived.
• Adored by the Network: The only reason the films kept getting made was because they were consistent and reliable moneymakers on the home video and late-night cable circuit.
• Backed by the Pentagon: Israel supported production after the US government refused because they thought the plot was ridiculous. The Pentagon would not support a production based on its planes being stolen.
• California Doubling: The first film has Israel doubling for a California USAF base, Aces has Arizona play both Texas and Peru, and On the Attack was shot entirely in Ontario, Canada.
• Company Hop: All four movies are produced by different companies (and the second one is a Canadian-Israeli co-production).
• Dawson Casting: Late teen Doug is played by 20-year-old Jason Gedrick.
• Dueling Movies: With Top Gun.
• Fake Nationality: A staple of the series.
  • The first film is the least egregious, with mostly-Israeli actors playing the Qurac soldiers. Their leader, David Suchet, is a Brit.
  • The second film has a cast of mostly Canadian and Israeli actors, playing both Americans and Russians. The only cast members who play their character's real nationality are Louis Gossett Jr., Stuart Margolin, Clark Johnson (born in Philadelphia but emigrated to Canada as a child), and Mark Ivanir (born in Ukraine but emigrated to Israel when he was five).
  • The third film has Rachel McLish (American) play a Mexican woman and Paul Freeman (British) play an ex-Nazi from Austria.
  • The fourth film has Louis Gossett Jr. as the sole actual American among a cast of Canadians.
• Follow the Leader: Often accused of this in regard to Top Gun, but both films were produced at the same time, with Iron Eagle actually premiering first and having a slightly-higher budget.
• Multiple Languages, Same Voice Actor: In the Japanese dub of the third film, Sonny Chiba reprises his role as Horikoshi. Keep in mind that movie was dubbed twice, but traditionally Japanese actors reprise their roles in foreign movies when dubbing the films into Japanese back home.
• The Other Darrin:
  • Jason Gedrick was replaced by Jason Cadieux.
  • The same thing happens in the Japanese dub, when Doug was voiced by Toshihiko Seki in the first film, Issei Futamata in the second one, and Keiji Fujiwara in the fourth.
  • Oddly averted in the Mexican Spanish dub, when Doug is voiced by Jesús Barrero in both films, albeit in the second one, he was voiced by Sergio Bonilla instead. On the other hand and barring the first film (when he is voiced by Guillermo Coria), Chappy was voiced by Alvaro Tarcicio in all the remaining films.
• Release Date Change: The film was originally intended to be released in the summer of 1986, but the release was pushed up to January to avoid competition and confusion with Top Gun.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Emilio Estevez was considered for the role of Doug Masters.
  • Morgan Freeman auditioned for the role of Chappy Sinclair.
  • James Spader was considered for the role of Knotcher.
  • The original script focused much more on the exploits of Doug and his friends, which can be seen in the final film by their elaborate clubhouse and custom-made jackets.
• Underage Casting: Aces: Iron Eagle III cast several actors who are way too young to be believable as World War II veterans (see Questionable Casting in the YMMV section).
• Working Title: Junior Eagle.

---