Movies - TV
Why Jon Favreau Refused To Direct MCU Movies After Iron Man 2
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
Early in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk” set the stage, but it was Jon Favreau's “Iron Man 2” that truly laid the foundation for the franchise.
“Iron Man 2” had to precede “Thor” and “Captain America,” rushing towards “The Avengers” in 2012. No delays were tolerated, even amidst intense box-office expectations.
Amid high tension, Favreau reported it was incredibly exhausting as individual features had to meticulously set up future events and characters, all while on a tight schedule.
Favreau discussed his exhaustion with the production of “Iron Man 2” in the book “MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios” by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards.
He noted, “To come up with this story [...] set it up, prep it, film it, cut it, and do all the finishing touches [...] it does put everybody under a tremendous amount of stress.”
“It was ambitious to begin with,” he said, “and now we have to knock it into overdrive. There's going to be a lot of people not sleeping. Hundreds of people not sleeping.”
Despite the rush, Favreau completed “Iron Man 2” on time. The success of the film led to the early announcement of “Iron Man 3” in 2010, but Favreau had no interest in returning.
In an MTV interview, Favreau expressed the need to “find something that lights a fire” and can “blow people away,” which is easier with a project free from built-in expectations.
The MCU prospered without Favreau, and he appears content with his contributions, choosing not to criticize the company or speak negatively about his experience with “Iron Man 2.”