Iron Man, or The Empire Redeemed

Nicole and Stu start at the beginning with 2008's Iron Man. There was no plan. There wasn't even a script. An indie director on the come-up took a long-shot casting a burnt out has-been who's charisma and pathos single-handedly turned a mid-tier action film into a monster hit that would spawn a monstrous cultural behemoth. We take a look at the troubled production, Downey Jr's charisma, and the film's confused politics as it tries simultaneously to critique the military-industrial complex while celebrating American empire and exceptionalism at the close of the Bush Era. Produced by Miguel Tanhi. Cover art by Zoe Woolley.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicoleveneto.substack.com