Opening Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 3 proved to be divisive among fans, but still generated a neat $1.2 billion, finishing as the second highest growing movie of 2013. Here then are 10 things you might not know about the seventh film in the MCU...
1. Sometimes being second choice is not such a bad thing, just ask Rebecca Hall. Along with Gemma Arterton, Isla Fisher, Jessica Chastain and Diane Kruger she was amongst the short list of actresses considered for the role of Maya Hansen. It was Chastain who was actually offered and accepted the part, but was forced to drop out due to a scheduling conflict with Zero Dark Thirty. Rebecca Hall then got the call.
2. In Drew Pearce's early script for Iron Man 3, Maya Hansen would have been revealed late in the story as the 'big bad' mastermind. Jude Law was approached to play Aldrich Killian who would have been assumed to be the antagonist throughout, before being revealed as Hansen's puppet. But after Shane Black came on board as director he rewrote and restructured much of the story, not to Rebecca Hall's liking...
"I signed on to do something that was a substantial role. She wasn't entirely the villain, there have been several phases of this, but I signed on to do something very different to what I ended up doing."Black also vetoed Jude Law's casting, leaving the door open for Guy Pearce.
3. Another change in script saw a different character downgraded. Originally Radioactive Man was included in the story, and Andy Lau offered the part. He dropped out upon the birth of his first child. Several other actors were then considered for the role including Daoming Chen and Wu Xiubowere, before legendary Chinese actor Wang Xueqi was cast. However the new script change meant his role was significantly adapted and the name changed to the unrelated Doctor Wu.
4. The ring on Trevor Slattery's/Mandarin's right pinkie finger is the same one Raza wears in the first Iron Man film, and on the back of his neck you can spot a tattoo of Captain America's shield with an anarchist "A" symbol in the center instead of a star.
5. During the scene where there is an attack at the Chinese Theater, Firepower is sitting directly next to Robert Downey Jr.’s hand-prints and signature.
6. Maya Hansen had a much more elaborate death scene - that is before her role was cut even further! After Killian shoots her and leaves she was supposed to drag herself to a computer terminal to erase all Extremis data, and then, as if to atone for her sins, touch one of her plants, causing it to explode and kill her instantly. This scene was actually filmed, and is available amongst the bonus material in the Iron Man 3 BluRay edition.
7. Another alternate exit was set to take place for Trevor Slattery. He was to take Extremis, believing it was a new drug, and then explode from it. Marvel decided they'd like to keep him around, so it was changed to having him get arrested at the end of the film.
8. In the script the final line of the movie was originally written as "I am Tony Stark" to mirror the first Iron Man movie's ending. This was changed to "I am Iron Man" to enhance the characters mythical qualities.
9. Ever noticed that the end credits for Iron Man 3 seem to go on forever? Well this was a bit of a joke played on us all by the producers. Knowing we'd all sit and wait for the post-credits sequence, which we were all used to by the time this film was released, they decided to make the credits as long as they could, 10 minutes long!!! Even going so far as to thank The New Zealand Post (the movie was filmed in North Carolina), and making up names. Reportedly a Gweneth Waltrow is also in there amongst the masses of Special Effects Department credits!
10. Finally, when that post-credits scene did arrive it wasn't the one that was originally planned. That was to feature Tony Stark blasting off into space to meet the Guardians of the Galaxy. For reals!
Iron Man was originally going to have a cameo role in Guardians of the Galaxy, but when negotiations with Robert Downey Jr over reprising his role for subsequent movies did not go smoothly, that idea was scrapped. Downey Jr himself came up with the alternative, which featured Mark Ruffalo in cameo as Dr. Bruce Banner ("not that kind of Doctor!").
Bonus Fact - The short post-credits scene marked the first time an actor had played Dr. Banner in more than one theatrical film. Edward Norton and Eric Bana only had single outings, and Bill Bixby's portrayals were all in made for television productions.
Read All Our MCU Trivia Articles
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