MCU: 10 Fascinating Facts Behind Iron Man 2 (2010)

8. How The Nuclear Arms Race Inspired Tony Stark

Tony Stark's characterisation throughout the Iron Man series was actually influenced by the director who only ended up being hired for the third movie.

Kevin Feige revealed that Robert Downey Jr would take scenes to Shane Black's house to discuss his characterisation and for Iron Man 2, it was Black who recommended that Stark's characterisation should be inspired by J. Robert Oppenheimer.

He famously worked on the atomic bomb but after witnessing its destructive power, he defamed himself as "the Destroyer of Worlds" and sank into depression. That's pretty much the exact process Tony is forced to face as Hammer and Vanko reveal what his creation could do in other hands.