Marvel’s Biggest Saga in Cinema History Launched in Just 33 Seconds

16 years ago, the film Iron Man gave the start of one of the greatest film sagas

Audiences have been able to enjoy the film adaptations of Marvel comics for many years. However, it was in 2008, no less than sixteen years ago, that Marvel began its biggest project to date: the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The tipping point occurs during the last seconds of the feature film Iron Man, carried by Robert Downey Jr. who seemed tailor-made for the role of Tony Stark. Note that, if you are a Marvel fan and nostalgic for this period, the film recently appeared in the catalog of the Disney+ platform.

In many ways, this feature film, directed by Jon Favreau (who can be seen in the role of Happy Hogan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and produced by Kevin Feige, has immense importance since it set the first stone of an unmissable saga. This has grown so much that it now spans dozens of films – 33, to be more exact -, multiple television shows and more or less acclaimed ones. While phase 5 of this incredible superheroic fresco will take a turn with the release of Deadpool and Wolverine next July, it is interesting to remember how it all began.

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The most important 30 seconds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

We have just pointed out: the Iron Man film is the cornerstone of the MCU, now under the supervision of the giant Disney. On the one hand, unlike recent Marvel films, it was unanimous: a clear financial success ($580 million in revenue), a real critical success… All the ingredients were there for a great start, enhanced by a ending full of promise thanks to its famous post-credits scene. In the space of thirty-three seconds, the fan is drawn into a saga that will ultimately span years and years. In this extract, we discovered a character who was quite enigmatic at the time: Nick Fury.

While he thought he was settling in quietly in his apartment, Tony Stark is greeted by the character played by Samuel L. Jackson. A few hours earlier, the billionaire took everyone by surprise by publicly announcing that he was Iron Man. Consequently, Nick Fury preferred to warn him: he is, at this moment, far from being the only superhero and that is why he came to meet him. Far from giving him the pleasure of a disinterested visit, Nick Fury came to talk to him about the “Avengers” and the “Project Initiative”. Today, Iron Man is no more but he opened the doors to everything we have known since and what we will know.