Robert Downey Jr. retired from the role of Tony Stark in the Avengers: Endgame, but the character and his legacy have continued to live on in the films. Since his introduction to the big screen in 2008, fans have watched many amazing Iron Man moments unfold, not only in the character's solo movies but also in his other franchise appearances.
Given this, fans often question how many Iron Man movies there are. In total, Tony Stark has three solo movies, but he also features in six other MCU films. The best watch order for these appearances is chronologically by release date, which will take viewers from the character's debut in Iron Man to his farewell in Avengers: Endgame.
Updated on November 16th, 2022 by Stacie Rook: Though it has now been years since Iron Man left the MCU, the character's story and actions continue to influence the franchise. This will be particularly true in two titles; Armor Wars, a War Machine-centric movie in which Rhodey must deal with the fallout of Tony's technology being used by the wrong people.
Iron Man (2008)
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The first Iron Man movie is one of the most important films in the MCU. It not only kicked off the Iron Man trilogy but was also responsible for setting up the franchise as a whole, marking a major turning point in superhero cinema.
Iron Man followed billionaire Tony Stark as he first created his now-famous armored suit, and saw him face off against a villain with a personal vendetta against him, Obadiah Stane. The movie acted as a perfect introduction to a character who at the time the mainstream was not familiar with, setting him up to become a household name.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
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After Iron Man became a huge hit, Iron Man 2 showed the ramifications of Tony's decision to reveal Iron Man's true identity to the world. It also saw Tony deal with the sins of his father through the villain, Whiplash, and his rivalry with the man pulling the strings, Justin Hammer.
Iron Man 2 also marked Black Widow's debut in the MCU, and saw Don Cheadle take on the role of James Rhodes, after the part was recast from the first movie. While Iron Man 2 isn't considered the strongest movie featuring the character, it does have some fantastic moments, including one of the best superhero entrances in the MCU when Tony arrives at Stark Expo.
The Avengers (2012)
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2012's The Avengers acted as the first major crossover in the MCU, but it certainly wouldn't be the last. It allowed audiences to see Tony interact with other heroes from Phase One as they were brought together in order to fight Loki, but given the big egos of those involved, the team-up was not all smooth sailing.
In spite of Tony's brash persona, The Avengers showed that he could act selflessly, as seen when he ended up almost sacrificing himself by flying a missile through a wormhole in order to save New York City. This marked a turning point for the character, and Tony's actions in the battle would continue to impact his story for many appearances to come.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
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Released the following year, Iron Man 3 saw Tony dealing with his PTSD and anxiety after the events of The Avengers and closed out the character's solo trilogy. The movie forced Tony out of his element, as the character spent much of the movie having to operate without his suit, proving to himself and the audience that he was still a hero without it.
Iron Man 3 closed with Tony finally removing the arc reactor from his chest, bringing to an end the story that started with his first appearance. The movie also made the choice to show Tony destroying all the Iron Man suits he had made over the years, setting up the character for a new journey, and a fresh start.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)
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The plot of Captain America: The Winter Soldier—with the group being funded by Tony, and led by Captain America.
After recovering Loki's scepter from HYDRA at the beginning of the movie, and experiencing a vision that showed him a devastating future in which the Avengers were defeated, Tony worked alongside Bruce Banner to create Ultron, with the ultimate goal of global protection. However, he and the team would be forced to fight against the robot once it became corrupt, showing the dangers of Tony's inventions.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
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2016's characters who changed him the most, Steve Rogers, as they debated how the Avengers should be handled. Civil War tapped into Tony's guilt for his past actions and showed how that guilt prompted his decision to sign the Accords, which planned to give the Avengers oversight from the United Nations.
Civil War ended with the Avengers completely fractured after Tony learned the painful truth about his parents' deaths at the hands of the Winter Soldier. In spite of the movie's more serious plot, though, it still managed to keep a fun and balanced tone, thanks to moments like Spider-Man's introduction, which established his connection to Iron Man.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
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Although he's in the movie for just a few minutes, Tony plays an important role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, as he becomes a mentor to Peter Parker. He is shown to monitor Peter's journey and teaches him an important lesson about the hero inside being more valuable than the suit they wear.
Homecoming ends with Tony offering Peter a new suit and a spot on the Avengers after he successfully manages to take down the Vulture, but ultimately it's an offer that Peter rejects, as he sets out to be his own hero who will look out for the little guy in NYC.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
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After years of dealing with visions of a terrible future, Tony came face to face with the ultimate MCU villain Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Set a few years after the events of Civil War, the Avengers in the movie were still divided, which led to a cosmic battle happening on multiple fronts.
Tony faced Thanos on the planet Titan, alongside Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and some of the Guardians of the Galaxy. The fight was brutal and drawn-out, but even so, Tony managed to deliver some of his best MCU one-liners, keeping the tone of the movie fun. Of course, Infinity War ended on a huge cliffhanger, with Tony stranded in outer space.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
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Avengers: Endgame is the penultimate movie in the Infinity Saga, and also marks the final appearance of Tony Stark. At the outset, Tony is aboard a ship with Nebula, drifting aimlessly in space and still reeling from the fight against Thanos, before he is rescued by Captain Marvel. After the movie's five-year time skip, it's revealed that Tony distanced himself from the Avengers, and built a quiet life for himself, Pepper, and their daughter, Morgan.
Tony's peaceful life is quickly upended when the Avengers show up and ask for his help with their time heist plan, which will defeat Thanos for good. The third act shows Tony facing off against Thanos and his army one final time, in what becomes an emotional send-off for both the character and that era of the franchise.
