Defamer
We assumed in last week's Defamer Attractions column that $75 million opening-weekend estimates seemed awfully conservative for Iron Man, but even our $90 million forecast undershot the film's $100.7 million three-day take. (It was $104.2 million if you count Thursday night previews, and more than $200 million globally.) Aside from the obligatory splash for any early-summer tentpole, we're surprised observers didn't see the finely calibrated alchemy that Marvel and Paramount used to spin its Iron into box office gold:
1. The Schlub Factor. Like Sam Raimi, who guided Marvel's previous blockbuster franchise Spider-Man to its own record openings in 2001, 2004 and 2007, director Jon Favreau is kind of a schlub — a normal dude who came up through the ranks and pretty much is his audience. He's not Ang Lee, whose misunderstood Hulk is disavowed to the point that its own studio is remaking it this summer (with another non-schlub, French action auteur Louis Leterrier), or even Bryan Singer, whose X-Men franchise coasted on star power before burning itself out at the hands of patronizer extraordinaire Brett Ratner. Favreau imposes a fan's vision and an indie mandate (i.e. character development, budget-mindedness) that works primarily because it threatens no one — neither the studio that paid for it nor the viewers spreading word-of-mouth months in advance and lining up around the block on opening weekend.
2. The Downey Factor. Repeat everything above, but substitute Tobey Maguire and Eric Bana (the miscast Hulk whose 2008 replacement, the relatively inaccessible Edward Norton, will likely suffer a similar fate). Robert Downey Jr. is a smart, funny adult actor who appeals to men and women alike (especially women), while also an innocuous enough leading man who won't overshadow the brand among fanboys. He's also his generation's most powerful Hollywood comeback story; this guy was virtually uninsurable after his umpteenth drug bust six years ago cost him his role on Ally McBeal. His casting was about as brilliant as it gets.
3. The McDreamy Factor. Or: There was nothing else to see over the weekend. Sony says it's happy having done $15 million with Made of Honor, but it thought its Patrick Dempsey rom-com would pull in at least $6 or $7 million of what went to Iron Man — on the basis of counterprogramming alone. What it didn't count on was...
4. The Female Factor. Iron Man was more of a chick flick than most "experts" anticipated, which Variety noting today that women made up 38% of last weekend's audience. Again, Marvel can thank Downey, but it shouldn't forget leading lady Gwyneth Paltrow. Her presence likely accounts for at least $12 to $15 million of that opening windfall.
5. The Critic Factor. The film was arguably critic-proof, but no one can deny the taste- (and profit-) making influence of reviewers who pushed Iron Man to a 94% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes. That is the stuff of franchise phenomena — Iron Man 2, here we come.
Comments
Yay! Everybody wins!
Iron Man 2: The Iron-y Man Returns!
6. The Script Factor - Let's not forget the the positive effect of Robert Downey Jr.'s script-crumpling and tossing against the wall!
It was the flapper pose at take off that really won my heart.
I've always had the hots for RDJ but I have to admit his 'stache was looking a little too porn star in the close-up/inside the helmet shots.
Don't forgot Hot chick Leslie Bibb.
Yes she was only in three scenes, and got a verbal bitchslap from Gwennie in one of them, but still. Rowrrr.
And Jeff Bridges delivering the key stoner demographic. Seriously, how cool was he with the crazy bald look?
Bridges was mad crazy, Downey was just cool enough, Gwyneth was classy hot and they should have given Leslie more screen time, because I'm with TurdBlossom, Rowrr! And I like how Favreau put himself in the flick and kept himself to, I think, one line. Did everybody catch Terrance Howard's line as he looked at the other iron suit? Iron Man 2 - War Machine.
I never thought that the director of the turgid mess that was Made would graduate to one of the better popcorn movies in years.
Also, here's a bonus tidbit for all y'all: in that scene where Gwynnie's downloading Jeff Bridges' "ghost drive" and a bunch of purchase orders appear on screen, one of them is made out to a guy named Lebowski.
You're welcome.
@Wendy_Kroy: Dude!!!
This movie gave me an early-summer tentpole.
Comment on The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold) 4. The Female Factor. Oh, come on! Gwyneth Paltrow has nothing to do with it. As outlandish as it may seem, some chicks are actually into Iron Man.
@LemuelCushy: And most women don't like Gwyneth. Whoever came for her doesn't have ovaries.
My boyfriend is the Ironman - he does wonders on the collars and cuffs
LIGHT STARCH PLEASE!!
@LemuelCushy: What matters for women is pedigree. Terrence Howard probably helped with this as well, but when you have an A-list Oscar winner like Paltrow as the female lead in a generally solid ensemble of men, that is huge for women filmgoers who otherwise might have waited a few weeks or even for the DVD. And for Paramount/Marvel, opening weekend was everything considering the tentpole onslaught to come.
Or look at this way: Liv Tyler is just another part of the problem facing The Incredible Hulk. Universal simply can't market her the way the 'Mount could Paltrow, on recognizability alone. Same with Kate Bosworth in Superman Returns. But Spider-Man nailed it with Kirsten Dunst, and X-Men nailed it with its ensemble. You couldn't have plugged just anyone into those roles; that's why they call it "casting" and not simply "hiring."
STV - you are right, what matters for women is pedigree. What I mean, as a long-time Iron Man reader, is that Tony Stark, as opposed to other superheroes, was always into women. Sure, you can debate what women meant to him, but I'm saying that in terms of the genre, Tony dug women and they were always a part of his story. Iron Man as a title was always a little more 'welcoming' to women. But that's not why I read it [I wasn't into gender issues when I was a child]. I just liked the whole idea of it as well as the graphics. I agree that a well-rounded cast [even if the female part is secondary, as sadly, it usually seems to be] can only benefit a film. But if you subtracted the 'Gwneth factor', she could have been anyone really. Can you really say that a Liv Tyler or Michelle Monaghan - with red hair, of course, could not have pulled off the same role? What I'm saying is that women would not have turned out for this movie because GP was in it. Robert Downey Jr is on record as saying that back in the day that Iron Man attracted a lot of female fan mail. That's because IM is sex on titanium legs. LemuelCushy
@SugitaTrigeminus: Let me interject something here from an unabashed fanboy: both of the last 2 posters have good points. Gwyneth's name factor was a big plus to the hype machine, but she also had the chops to pull it off. I just think the whole cast did a great job.
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