10 'What If?' Scenarios That Almost Changed Comic Book Movies Forever

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the highest-grossing movie franchise in history, and also one of the most consistent in terms of quality. The company's shared cinematic universe concept has revolutionized the way blockbuster franchises are developed and rival studios have been rushing to catch up. But what if Iron Man, the grand debut from the upstart Marvel Studios, had bombed at the box office?

On paper, there was every chance that it would. A character not very familiar to general audiences, a director whose biggest hit to date was Elf and a star who had only recently overcome the personal demons that threatened to ruin his career aren't the usual ingredients for success. Then there was the risky $525m deal with Merrill Lynch (who actually tried to back out in 2005) that was secured in order for Marvel to finance their own productions, which meant that Iron Man needed to be a hit.

If Jon Favreau's movie wasn't a success, Marvel were still contractually obligated to make more. However, without the success of Iron Man and its Phase 1 compatriots laying the groundwork for the MCU, the project could have fallen at the very first hurdle and not just prevented Marvel Studios from becoming the powerhouse they are today, but altered the entire paradigm of blockbuster filmmaking as we know it.