Where to watch Iron Man is the easy part: in the US it streams on Disney Plus, along with the rest of Phase 1. In release order it is the very first MCU film, and in story order it comes right after Captain Marvel and before Iron Man 2. Nothing is required beforehand, and it is essential for almost everything that follows.
Disney Plus is the home of Iron Man in the US, and every other Phase 1 film sits on the same service, so you can roll straight into the sequel when the credits finish. Streaming rights differ by country. If you are watching from somewhere else, the watch box on this page shows the services available where you live.
Two viewing orders exist, and Iron Man plays a different part in each. By release date it is simply the starting point: it opened in theaters at the end of April 2008 and kicked off Phase 1. By story order, a couple of titles get ahead of it, because they are set long before Tony Stark builds his first suit.
| Order | Comes before Iron Man | Comes after Iron Man |
|---|---|---|
| Release order | Nothing, it is the first film | The Incredible Hulk |
| Story order | Captain Marvel | Iron Man 2 |
Captain Marvel takes place in the 1990s and Captain America: The First Avenger during World War II, so a chronological marathon reaches Tony only after both of those. Iron Man 2 follows directly in either case and picks up right after the first film's final press conference. Our Marvel Phase 1 in order guide shows both sequences side by side.
Which order should a newcomer pick? Our Marvel watch order for beginners suggests starting here in most cases. This film was written for an audience that knew nothing, so it explains itself, and the later prequels land better once you know where the story is headed.
Tony Stark is a genius engineer, a billionaire weapons manufacturer and a man who has never had to face what his products do. During a sales trip to Afghanistan he is ambushed, wounded and taken captive by a terrorist group that wants him to build one of his missiles for them. With help from a fellow prisoner, Yinsen, he builds something else: a crude armored suit.
What follows is part origin story, part corporate drama. Back home, Tony starts asking awkward questions about his own company, much to the discomfort of his business partner Obadiah Stane, while Pepper Potts tries to keep him from self-destructing. The tone is lighter and looser than most superhero films of its era, and a lot of that comes from the improvised feel of the dialogue.
At its core the story is about responsibility. Tony sees firsthand what his weapons have done and decides to change course, and that choice, more than the armor, is what turns him into a hero. Every later Iron Man film comes back to the same question of what he owes the world.
Stay through the credits. In a short scene, Nick Fury is waiting in Tony's living room and brings up the Avengers Initiative. It was the moment that turned a single movie into a shared universe, and back then audiences had no idea how far that one line would go. There is no mid-credits scene, only this one at the end.
Nearly every thread of the Infinity Saga starts here or leads back here. Tony's arc runs all the way to Avengers: Endgame, and this film sets up the Stark technology, the S.H.I.E.L.D. presence and the sense of humor that the next decade of movies built on. Agent Phil Coulson makes his first appearance, politely chasing a meeting with Tony.
That is why it is on our essential Marvel movies and shows list, and no shortcut through the MCU should leave it out. It also pays off directly in The Avengers, where Tony finally meets the team Fury was hinting at.
Jon Favreau directs. Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark in the role that defined the rest of his career. Gwyneth Paltrow is Pepper Potts, Jeff Bridges is a shaven-headed Obadiah Stane, and Terrence Howard plays James "Rhodey" Rhodes, a part that was recast for the sequel. Shaun Toub gives Yinsen real weight in limited screen time, and Leslie Bibb plays reporter Christine Everhart. Happy Hogan is around too, as Tony's driver and bodyguard.
Iron Man runs 126 minutes, a little over two hours, plus a few minutes for the credits scene. Iron Man 2 is the natural next step if you want to stay with Tony. For the complete set of his solo films and team-ups, see our Iron Man movies in order page.
In the US, Iron Man streams on Disney Plus. The rest of the Phase 1 movies are on the service too, so you can carry on with Iron Man 2 straight away. Outside the US, check the watch box on this page.
Nothing. Iron Man was the first MCU film and was made for viewers with no background at all. Captain Marvel comes before it in story order, but you do not need it to follow Tony's story.
Yes. After the credits, Nick Fury visits Tony Stark and brings up the Avengers Initiative. The scene is short, but it is the first hint of the shared universe, so it is worth waiting for.
Yes, by release date it is the first film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the start of Phase 1. In story order, Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain Marvel take place earlier.
There are two common orders. Release order starts with Iron Man and is the easiest way in for first-time viewers. Story order begins with Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain Marvel, then reaches Iron Man and Iron Man 2.
Iron Man 2 is next in story order and picks up Tony's story after the first film's closing press conference. In release order the next film is The Incredible Hulk, which came out the same summer.
Iron Man runs 126 minutes, just over two hours. Add a few minutes if you wait for the post-credits scene, which you should.
It is strongly recommended. The Avengers assumes you know Tony Stark, Pepper Potts and Agent Coulson, and the first Iron Man film introduces all three along with Nick Fury's plan.
Terrence Howard plays James Rhodes in the first film. The role was recast for Iron Man 2, where Don Cheadle takes over and later suits up as War Machine.
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