In the summer of 2015, as superhero fatigue was setting in and Marvel's cinematic universe was reaching peak saturation, the studio took its biggest gamble yet with its smallest hero. Ant-Man, starring Paul Rudd as a cat burglar turned microscopic crusader, seemed destined for failure. The project had lost its original director Edgar Wright after eight years of development, the concept felt inherently silly even by comic book standards, and audiences appeared increasingly weary of origin stories. Yet somehow, this modestly-scaled film about a hero who can shrink to the size of an insect emerged as one of Marvel's most charming and significant entries, marking a crucial pivot point in the studio's approach to storytelling.

The 2008 film Iron Man, directed by Jon Favreau, stands as a pivotal moment in cinematic history. It serves as both the origin story of Tony Stark and the foundational film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The release of the film in 2008 marked the advent of a new era in the adaptation of comic books, with superhero films becoming a mainstream phenomenon. In addition to The Dark Knight, which also premiered in 2008, Iron Man established two contrasting yet defining representations of the contemporary superhero. The first is the billionaire-turned-hero, driven by personal tragedy and utilizing his wealth and expertise to fight for justice.