The richest actor in Hollywood.

Just as the pre-sales indicated, *Iron Man* kicked off the 2008 summer season with a bang, grossing $35.6 million on its opening day from 4,105 theaters across North America. Industry insiders quickly revised their opening weekend box office expectations from a conservative $80 million to $100 million.

The result didn't disappoint. Marvel Studios' flagship superhero action film raked in $110 million in its opening weekend, leaving behind the relatively lackluster spring box office.

It's safe to say that this year's summer season in North America started with an explosive opening.

As an investor, Matthew was thrilled to see the current situation.

Iron Man's presence, both in the movie and in the market, was flamboyant and charismatic, with an intelligence that stood out.

Women were like clothes—left on the bed in the morning, their names forgotten. The government's Outstanding Contribution Award? It was something he could hand out to any passerby. As for weapons, he easily created an invincible high-tech suit in a cave that others couldn't replicate in a lifetime.

In the end, this resulted in an exceptionally high opening weekend box office in North America.

After this victorious battle, *Iron Man* secured a place in the "Hollywood Box Office Hall of Fame," ranking in the top ten for opening weekend grosses in North American history. Paramount Pictures also celebrated the best opening in its history of distributing action films.

However, the entity most satisfied with this achievement was Marvel Comics.

Marvel needed such a victory to boost morale and demonstrate its strength. They had always hoped to expand their footprint in the film industry, especially after restructuring, where they were eager to gain more control over the films they produced and financed.

The success of *Spider-Man* was thanks to Sony Columbia, while *X-Men* and *Fantastic Four* were produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, and their connection to Marvel itself was not particularly close.

"An explosive start! This is exactly what the restructured Marvel has been hoping for," Marvel Studios' CEO Kevin Feige told Matthew over the phone. "This proves that the Marvel brand is beloved by audiences. They know Marvel means summer blockbusters, and family-friendly action films."

When a film is entertaining and ultimately meets expectations, audiences bring their kids, and everyone wants to see it.

"Robert Downey Jr. is an actor everyone acknowledges as exceptional. His acting talent, once paired with a Marvel comic character, yields box office results like today's," Matthew said in an interview, full of praise. "Downey isn't the stereotypical over-the-top superhero. He makes people feel approachable."

The success of *Iron Man*'s opening weekend also marked a complete turnaround for Robert Downey Jr.

His last film, the gambling movie *Lucky You* from last year, grossed only $2.7 million on its opening weekend, with a total North American box office under $6 million.

A new era for Robert Downey Jr. had begun.

Matthew also confirmed that his $40 million investment was about to pay off.

Of course, he wasn't content with just that. Like everyone else, he wanted more. So, he secured the project list for the upcoming *Avengers* plan from Marvel Studios.

Marvel Studios acted swiftly. After the opening day box office for *Iron Man* came in, they decisively set the course for the next few films. *Ant-Man* and *Doctor Strange* were temporarily shelved. After *The Incredible Hulk,* Marvel Studios would first produce *Iron Man 2* to solidify its newly gained market recognition and establish a stronger foothold.

Then, they would move on to *Thor* and *Captain America,* with characters like Black Widow and Hawkeye making appropriate appearances. If all went well, *The Avengers* would debut after *Captain America*.

According to the agreement with Marvel Comics, Matthew could choose to invest in these films. After a cursory look at the project list provided by Marvel Studios, he decided to exclude *Thor*.

He clearly remembered that *The Avengers* was built around Iron Man and Captain America as the core. Movie production companies are very practical; their decisions are inevitably influenced by the profitability of the films. Since he didn't know the exact box office numbers for each Marvel superhero movie, investing in films centered on the two core characters seemed like the safest choice.

Therefore, in the first phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Matthew would pass on *Thor* and invest in *Iron Man 2,* *Captain America,* and *The Avengers.*

These matters would soon be handed over to Helen Herman for detailed discussions with Marvel.

Marvel Studios had already put *Iron Man 2* on the agenda, but they still faced a funding shortfall. Although *Iron Man* was a huge success, it would take time for the box office revenue to come in, and the even more important ancillary income would also take time to accumulate.

With the future in mind, Marvel Studios had almost frantically invested in promotional funds to keep the momentum going for *Iron Man*.

"Iron Man's emergence has upended our conventional understanding of comic book heroes. Before Tony Stark, no mainstream comic hero had such a flamboyant personality. Superman's Clark Kent, Batman's Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man's Peter Parker—all had dual identities of 'hero' and 'ordinary person,' and they went to great lengths to hide it."

"But Tony Stark is the complete opposite. As an ordinary person, he is a genius, a billionaire, a media darling, and he doesn't shy away from his identity as 'Iron Man.' That final press conference declaration, 'I am,' is the high-profile birth of a superhero."

"The character of Iron Man perfectly aligns with certain characteristics and needs of our era. He's flashy, wealthy, and extroverted. For a significant portion of the younger generation, this kind of image is far more appealing than those careful, secretive superheroes."

"At the same time, we see another layer of effort in Iron Man. Unlike Superman's innate abilities, Spider-Man's superpowers, or Batman's tech team, Iron Man's rise is due more to Tony Stark's genius and hard work. The 'Iron Man suit,' from its inception to its step-by-step improvements, is entirely Stark's own creation."

"The release of this *Iron Man* not only introduces an unconventional superhero but also ushers in a new era for Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel Comics."

"In a sense, Tony Stark is also a reflection of Robert Downey Jr. Downey rose to fame early, but drug use, gun possession, and jail time wasted much of his prime years. Fortunately, he met Matthew Horner, who recommended him for the *Iron Man* role, allowing him to return to the public eye with a fresh, positive image."

*Iron Man* is both Downey's redemption and a milestone for Marvel. Anyone who watched the film could see that Marvel had a series of plans in place. The commercial success of *Iron Man* signifies a new chapter for Marvel Comics. It's foreseeable that from now until far into the future, the big screen will usher in a great era of Marvel superheroes.

In an office at Warner Bros. in Burbank, Kevin Tsujihara, the president of Warner Bros. Pictures, finished reading the related reports in the newspaper and set it down, his expression quite serious.

"Charles..." He looked across the desk at Charles Roven, who was seated opposite him. "Are you certain that Marvel plans to bring *The Avengers* to the big screen?"

"Absolutely certain," Charles Roven replied.

Kevin Tsujihara stood up and paced the office, then asked, "And what about our *Justice League*?"

"It's still in the planning stages," Charles Roven responded, "DC is a step behind Marvel."

"Being behind doesn't matter," Kevin Tsujihara said, shaking his finger. "What's important is catching up and surpassing Marvel again."

DC superhero films have long been ahead of Marvel superhero films by more than a step.

Charles Roven reminded him, "*Iron Man* has already been successful. Given its current momentum, the final North American box office will surely exceed $300 million."

Kevin Tsujihara nodded lightly and added, "Probably more than $300 million."

"Right now, audiences are eagerly awaiting the appearance of other Marvel superheroes," Charles Roven pointed out. "Especially those who have read the related comics—they're eager to see superheroes come together as a team."

He reminded Tsujihara again, "Kevin, we need to speed up! Otherwise, Marvel will pull further ahead."

"I know." Kevin Tsujihara continued pacing. "The company's board of directors focused heavily on this topic in yesterday's meeting. They agreed to our *Justice League* plan and will allocate sufficient funds for production."

Charles Roven clapped his hands softly. "That's great!" He stood up as well. "We're only one step behind Marvel. If we pick up the pace, it won't be a problem to catch up. And *Justice League* is a more recognizable name. The *Trinity*—Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman—has far more influence than second-tier heroes like Iron Man."

Kevin Tsujihara said solemnly, "The first *Green Lantern Corps* is crucial. Only if the first step is successful can we continue with the rest of the plan." He looked at Charles Roven. "The review committee has already given the green light, and the initial funding will be in place soon. Charles, you need to steer the ship of *Green Lantern Corps* well; this project is crucial for us."

"I understand." Charles Roven suddenly smiled. "That's why I'm planning to invite Matthew Horner to play the lead role."

Hearing this name, Kevin Tsujihara felt reassured, but he still asked in confusion, "Didn't he

 turn down Marvel because he doesn't like playing comic book heroes?"

Charles Roven explained, "That's because Marvel offered too low a salary. We're preparing a big contract for him..."

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