Even the most devout Marvel Comics fans didn't expect Iron Man to become a superhero who appeared in so many movies over time. It's even more surprising to consider that they all became huge blockbuster hits, with some shattering box office records. However, as soon as Robert Downey Jr. debuted as Tony Stark on the big screen in 2008, everything changed.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe was born and since then, Iron Man has become a beloved superhero who showed up in ten different films. Most of those movies were met with widespread acclaim, one or two were considered mediocre, and some are all-time classics already.
The Incredible Hulk (6.7)
It's always the movie that people forget featured Tony Stark. In 2008, a mere two months after Iron Man released, the second MCU flick arrived in The Incredible Hulk. For the most part, the film gets overlooked because it doesn't feel like it's part of the MCU.
Bruce Banner/Hulk was played by Edward Norton instead of Mark Ruffalo and since it's a Universal Pictures film, it isn't often connected with the rest. It was met with solid but unspectacular reviews. Stark appears right at the end in a cameo to talk to General Ross about a team being formed, which was The Avengers.
Iron Man 2 (7.0)
Before 2020, the last year to not feature an MCU film was 2009. After Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, the franchise didn't release another entry until 2010's Iron Man 2. Fans were certainly excited to see Downey Jr. back as Stark, along with Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell as villains.
This saw a major re-casting as Don Cheadle took over as James Rhodes and got to suit up as War Machine. While this is considered a weaker MCU movie, it's still an entertaining ride. This was also crucial in building the future, especially with how it introduced Black Widow.
Iron Man 3 (7.1)
The final installment of the Iron Man trilogy, arriving in 2013, marked a significant change. Jon Favreau was not in the director's seat, with veteran Shane Black taking over. He delivered his trademark action scenes and put Tony Stark in tough situations where he had to use his brains rather than his high-powered suits often.
Although this is clearly a good movie, Iron Man 3 was controversial. The decision to turn The Mandarin, an iconic Iron Man villain, into nothing more than a joke, was questioned by comic book fanatics. However, Tony's journey and how he deals with PTSD made for an interesting storyline.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron (7.3)
Iron Man 3 ended on the idea that Tony was done as a superhero, yet 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron saw him back in the suit without much explanation. Regardless, fans were just excited to see their favorite heroes teaming up again, this time to battle something of Tony's own doing.
In a desperate attempt to protect the world, he creates Ultron, an A.I. who ends up hell-bent on destroying human life. While it is viewed as the worst Avengers flick, Age of Ultron has since gained more adoration due to how it set up so much for the future, with later films and TV series making it mean more.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (7.4)
When the MCU was announced to be rebooting Spider-Man, audiences were happy but didn't want yet another retread of the origin tale. They had seen Uncle Ben die enough times. The MCU did something unique and basically placed Tony Stark in the Uncle Ben role as Peter Parker's mentor.
That allowed Tony Stark to show up in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming. Downey Jr. is only around for about 15 minutes but he racked up a big payday. He arrives to help Spider-Man a few times but the story mostly belongs to Peter Parker and how he proves that he deserves the suit.
Captain America: Civil War (7.8)
A lot of people viewed 2016's Captain America: Civil War as Avengers 2.5 or something along those lines. That's because this third entry in the Captain America trilogy brought together more superheroes than ever before. The difference is that it wasn't for a team-up this time.
Due to the consequences of their actions, the Avengers split when they disagree on handing over control to the government. It places Iron Man and his team against Cap and his side of the war. This masterfully balanced so many characters while also introducing Spider-Man and Black Panther. Even with all of that, Downey Jr. was one of the high points.
Iron Man (7.9)
The one that started it all. 2008's Iron Man wasn't expected to be as big of a hit as it was. Many considered the character to be a "B" or "C" level Marvel hero in terms of popularity and Downey Jr. was a troubled actor looking for a comeback. It could've gone either way.
The film became a massive success and set the stage for an iconic hero. Tony goes through a lot in this movie as he is kidnapped, realizes the error of his ways, fights a longtime friend, and becomes a better person. Downey Jr. delivers a rockstar performance.
The Avengers (8.0)
Although it has been surpassed several times over, 2012's The Avengers was unheard of in terms of sheer scale. Never before had so many major superheroes come together on one screen. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, and Hawkeye were all introduced in previous films before teaming up here.
With a little help from Agent Coulson and Nick Fury, the group puts their differences aside and bands together to stop Loki and his Chitauri army from taking over Earth. The movie gave everyone a chance to shine and remains a thrill ride on multiple watches.
Avengers: Endgame (8.4)
The top two entries are tied in score but one has just a few more reviews on IMDb than the other. 2019's Avengers: Endgame marked the end for Iron Man. He survived The Snap from the previous film and during The Blip, had a daughter and settled down with Pepper.
However, when the opportunity arises to bring back half the universe, he steps up. Tony helps orchestrate the "time heist," goes deep into the past and spends time with his father, and in the end, makes the ultimate sacrifice. He uses the Infinity Stones to take out Thanos's army, losing his life in the process.
Avengers: Infinity War (8.4)
With identical scores, this is proof that the MCU delivered in a huge way with this two-part story. 2018's Avengers: Infinity War brought even more characters together than in the past, from The Avengers to former villains to the Guardians of the Galaxy, all to stop Thanos.
Tony is a highlight in this movie, having tremendous interactions with the likes of Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Star-Lord. His fight with Thanos is especially engaging and nearly leads to his death until Doctor Strange saves him so he can be around in five years to save everyone else.