Iron Man 2 (2010 Film)

Iron Man 2 is Marvel Studios' 2010, live-action sequel to the massively-successful Iron Man, both based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name.

Robert Downy Jr. returns as Tony Stark, now living openly as the MCU's most celebrated super-hero Iron Man. However, his armor tech has not gone unnoticed as he suddenly has the attention of the Soviet criminal Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), who recognizes the technology as having been stolen from his father, an associate of Howard Stark. Stark is struggling with his own issues as well, briefly falling into alcoholism, prompting Jim Rhodes (Don Cheadle) to don the War Machine suit. Stark's rival Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) empowers Vanko with a suit of armor of his own, while Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) plants a spy in Stark Industries in the form of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson).

Jon Favreau returned to direct the film from a script by Justin Theroux. 

The movie was considerably less well-received by critics and fans, faulting an unfocused story that paid lip-service to the "Demon In A Bottle" storyline from the comics. It also suffered from Marvel's growing pains as several players, primarily Terrance Howard, who originated the role of Rhodes, walked away after the newborn Marvel studio reneged on salary guarantees. Favreau and Jackson also publicly griped about contract issues with the studio, who was still independent, still operating with lower budgets and realizing their armored actors spend less time on screen than they normally would in a featured film.

Regardless of criticism or controversy, the film still did great box office, out-performing its predecessor and paving the way for Iron Man 3 and The Avengers.