America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 323, Section 321: Iron Man's Unique Racetrack

"ah"

"Hey, what did you do to me?"

"To save your life, I removed as much shrapnel as possible from your body, but some remains. To prevent it from entering your heart, I made this using a car battery—an electromagnet. With your intelligence, you should understand it at a glance."

"So these people kidnapped me for weapons?"

"Otherwise what? Everyone knows now that possessing Stark's latest weapon is tantamount to possessing hegemony!"

"You probably never expected that one day you would be hit by a weapon you created."

"I just never imagined that the weapons would end up in the hands of these people."

On the big screen, Tony Stark wakes up in a simple hospital bed.

Painful memories flooded back, and Robert Downey Jr. delivered a superb performance in a short period of time.

It was obvious to anyone that it was extremely painful, but as the proud Tony Stark, he had to endure it.

After visiting this secret base, Tony was even more amazed by the wide array of equipment produced by his own company.

In order to escape, Tony Stark produced the blueprints for the Mark I.

The rugged appearance piqued the interest of many viewers. Was it time to get to the main point? The armor was actually forged here? But it doesn't look quite like the one in the trailer.

clang!

clang!

clang!

Tony hammered away at the patch, a new hobby Robert Downey Jr. had chosen for himself since deciding to break his bad habit.

Chinese Kung Fu, or more accurately Wing Chun, resulted in not only the suppression of bad habits after more than a year, but also the development of a muscular physique.

He was wearing a somewhat dirty vest, with a scruffy beard on his face, and sweat dripping from his muscles, giving him a certain masculine romance and sexiness.

Female viewers, in particular, couldn't help but nod in agreement. Although he was a bit old, he was still quite handsome.

"Remember the sound of hammering metal here; it marked the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe."

Hearing Eric's words, Downey pursed his lips: "It was just a bit troublesome during filming; I almost got burned."

"It's worth it. I wonder how many actors would be willing to risk injury for ten times their pay."

"Huh? You mean my salary will increase to $200 million?"

"Have some confidence in yourself, Donnie, at least $500 million."

"Wow! That's a scary number."

As the components of the Mark I were gradually completed, the two men began to put on their equipment, taking advantage of blind spots in the surveillance system.

In order to buy Stark time, Ethan sacrificed himself.

Robert Downey Jr. once again delivered a top-notch performance in this scene, perfectly showcasing Stark's inner turmoil through his micro-expressions.

He also said "thank you" for the first time, thanking Ethan for saving his life and his soul.

Mark I then began wreaking havoc in the terrorist base, revealing its full capabilities.

It's rough and rugged, like a tin can, with uneven chisel marks on the surface, and many linkage shafts and wires are exposed, highlighting a primitive style.

Ultimately, Stark destroyed all the weapons his company produced at the base, fled in panic during the explosion, and was eventually found by Colonel Rhodes.

At the airport, Pepper Potts was waiting for her. Amy Adams expressed her emotions fully—excitement, joy, yet restraint.

But having experienced the ups and downs of life, he didn't have time to pay attention to Chili Pepper for the time being, and instead held a press conference.

"This trip to the Middle East has given me a lot of experience and made me think a lot. I thought about my father, Howard Stark."

"If possible, I'd like to ask him if he ever had any doubts about becoming Stark Industries, or whether he ever questioned the intended use of the weapons produced."

"I have witnessed countless people being murdered—young people, women, children, the elderly, and the unarmed."

"I realized that I was just a member of the privileged class with zero responsibility."

"Mr. Stark, what exactly happened to you?"

"I realized that I should bring more and better things to the world, instead of just being a killing machine that explodes."

"Therefore, I hereby formally announce the indefinite closure of Stark Industries' weapons research and development division, effective immediately!"

The story then moves on to Tony developing the Mark II, a sophisticated setup interspersed with Marvel-style humor.

As the armor was gradually perfected, the audience's excitement grew.

Wow!

When the armor first took Tony into the sky in its complete form, screams erupted in movie theaters across America.

This feeling is completely different from that of superheroes like Spider-Man, X-Men, and Blade, who rely on bloodline mutations.

Iron Man, on the other hand, has carved out a completely new path, with its technological, mechanical, and modern elements hitting the sweet spot for every viewer.

It's so novel, so incredible, that I can actually see this kind of scene on the big screen.

My adrenaline is soaring along with Tony's, it feels amazing!

Upon learning that Stark Industries was still engaged in arms dealing, Iron Man entered combat for the first time.

It easily destroyed the entire enemy force, demonstrating the power of the armor to the fullest extent.

Many viewers thought of Spider-Man, which is still showing in theaters, and that if Peter Parker were to come instead, he would probably perish here.

Between street fight scenes and this kind of explosive battle, the latter is obviously more stimulating to people's nerves.

They then played a game with the U.S. Air Force, but the original version only had two fighter jets.

Two planes aren't enough? That's too stingy; the production crew is still too poor.

Eric made a call to the Nevada base, and like the Transformers, he mobilized a squadron of fighter jets, 11 F-22s forming a crossfire, but he still couldn't avoid being outmaneuvered by Iron Man.

Missiles flew wildly in the sky, and crossfire burst forth, making the audience's blood boil. This is exactly the kind of feeling we wanted.

At this point, the movie has been going on for over an hour, and the big boss, Aubadistan, has revealed his true colors, initiating the Iron Monger project.

He stole the reactor from Tony's chest, which was tantamount to taking away his heart, and left him alone to die.

In this scene, Robert Downey Jr. once again delivered a superb performance, his face as pale as a zombie, the aura of impending death directly impacting everyone present.

Especially this arrogant young master, crawling on the ground like a stray dog ​​begging for life, his whole body trembling.

The background music was still the pounding of a heartbeat. Although everyone knew the protagonist wouldn't die, the sense of urgency surrounding death still made the audience feel breathless.

The final battle began when the previous generation reactor was reinstalled: Iron Man vs. Iron Monger.

The original version of this scene wasn't actually very well done. It was still limited by budget constraints, so the special effects and the intensity of the fight scenes were only passable.

Especially setting the background to nighttime is obvious to anyone with eyes to see, it's to save money, because darkness can cover up many flaws.

If you choose to shoot during the day, the level of detail in the various special effects will be significantly improved.

But is MGM short of money?

A massive investment of $1.5 million, combined with various expenses and inflation, would be equivalent to $2 million in later years.

Shoot during the day, extend the runtime, add special effects, and go all out!

If you're going to watch something, make sure the audience has a great time.

Thus began a thrilling and incredibly exciting battle.

The Iron Monger is enormous and incredibly strong; his fists, feet, and weapons are all extremely destructive.

Iron Man is small, agile, and resilient, and also has a wide variety of weapons.

Armor-piercing rounds, chaff rounds, infrared beams, and Maxim gun fire.

The two fought from the ground down to underground, and then from underground to the surface of the water, making every second a must-watch.

Anyone whose phone rings at this time will be subjected to insults.

Ultimately, with Tony's combined strength and wisdom, along with Pepper's assistance, they finally defeated Iron Monger.

The audience finally breathed a sigh of relief as the movie came to its final scene.

"Some people suspect I'm involved in yesterday's accident, but this..."

"Excuse me, Mr. Stark, do you really think we'd believe the idea of ​​robot bodyguards falling from the sky?"

"Uh, I know it's a bit unbelievable, but questioning the official explanation is one thing, and criticizing me for being a superhero is another."

"Mr. Stark, nobody calls you a superhero."

"No? That's good, because I have a lot of bad habits, so I'm obviously not hero material."

"Tony, read from the script," Rod whispered a reminder.

But if Tony Stark could read from a script, he wouldn't be Tony Stark. He's a cynical rich kid, an unconventional inventor, and a super genius who breaks the mold.

Ultimately, he was an extremely unique person.

Tony glanced at the manuscript in his hand, his expression shifting slightly, before casually tossing it aside.

"In fact, I am an iron man!"

As the upbeat music began, the movie ended with the image of Iron Man.

As the lights came on, some people stood up and applauded first, and then everyone joined in.

Even film critics who are indifferent to superheroes have to admit that this is an excellent commercial blockbuster.

It also incorporates reflections on war and peace, especially the scenes about terrorists, which seem to be alluding to the current government.

It didn't overshadow the main content, but it was excellent, satisfying the needs of ordinary viewers while also impressing professionals.

Iron Man is undoubtedly an excellent movie.

Many people congratulated and encouraged Robert Downey Jr., which he accepted with a smile, a stark contrast to Tony Stark.

"Look at the audience's reaction. I told you your salary would increase by $500 million, do you believe me now?"

"It seems to be starting to feel right. I'm glad everyone is satisfied."

"Eric, how much do you think I can ask for a raise?"

Eric looked at Amy Adams: "As long as you continue playing the role of Pepper Potts, you'll definitely be one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood."

"Really?" Amy Adams asked in disbelief.

"Hehe. It seems you're not quite confident enough about the box office. We'll see."

The attention surrounding "Iron Man" is so high that it's no exaggeration to say it's the most anticipated film of the Christmas season.

With a large audience, reviews come out quickly.

Many viewers wrote down their thoughts overnight after watching the show.

When Eric woke up, the internet was already flooded with movie reviews.

"Iron Man is undoubtedly the most enjoyable movie this Christmas season. It's not the most profound, but it's definitely the most enjoyable to watch. I love that suit of armor."

"This is an unparalleled superhero movie. While watching it, you don't have to worry at all about it being similar to other superhero movies in the past. Iron Man is unique and the most distinctive."

"Iron Man is a classic example of a popcorn movie. It's passionate, it's camaraderie, and although it's a bit cocky, it's incredibly handsome."

"After watching Iron Man, I dream of becoming Tony Stark. What should I do?"

"This is a funny, cocky, and talkative hero! Especially that 'I am Iron Man' line at the end—it was so cool!"

"The movie was fantastic, but what impressed me most was Robert Downey Jr.'s acting. He brought Tony Stark to life and perfectly captured the essence of the comic book."

"Robert Downey Jr. truly deserves his Oscar nomination. He delivered an amazing performance, especially Stark's transformation and despair. Perhaps this is what it means to become one with the character."

"Eric Cooper is really good at casting. When the movie was in pre-production, he chose Robert Downey Jr., a drug addict, and nobody thought he was a good fit. But now everyone praises his choice. And Amy Adams, she's gentle yet strong, she's so beautiful."

"Although mecha-themed superheroes have existed for a long time, such as RoboCop, Iron Man is undoubtedly more stylish and dazzling, and can bring an unparalleled visual experience."

"I haven't read the comics, but this movie didn't affect my understanding of the plot at all. I've become a fan of Iron Man."

"I highly recommend Iron Man. When I walked out of the movie theater, the process of Tony transforming was still replaying in my mind."

Eric saw that the vast majority of the reviews were positive, although some said the plot was cliché, but the minority couldn't stop the army of enthusiastic supporters.

With a good reputation and positive reviews already established, it will naturally encourage more people to go to the cinema.

The first day's box office figures are the best proof.

Iron Man broke the record set by Transformers with a gross of $4150 million.

The 3945 theaters averaged over 10,000 yuan per theater. It's worth noting that the larger the scope of the film, the smaller the amount per theater.

With 3945 theaters, exceeding 90% of all movie theaters in the United States, and still managing to surpass 10,000, one can imagine the frenzy of the audience.

Iron Man has become the highest-grossing film since the start of this year's big movie season.

In contrast, Disney's hastily dispatched "The Chronicles of Narnia," as a commercial fantasy blockbuster, still has a strong fanbase of book lovers.

It was well-made, of good quality, and most of the feedback from viewers was positive.

However, too much of the audience has been diverted by "Iron Man," and most people will not choose to watch two movies in one day.

Especially for stressed-out teenagers like Mane, watching it once a week is already quite good.

With blockbusters like Inception, Spider-Man 2, The Incredibles, and Wanted clashing in the market, The Chronicles of Narnia's opening was a disaster.

More than $1600 million—that's a number that would make Mickey Mouse tremble.

The scales are starting to tip!

(End of this chapter)