One Mind Blowing Secret From Every MCU Movie

Marvel Studios has had something of a complex and often controversial relationship with the Chinese Box Office over the last two decades. Though the franchise was banned from the territory for several years, China has largely been an important market for the MCU.

So much so that for Iron Man 3, Kevin Feige and co. were thinking of ways to specifically incorporate China into the movie. After toying with the idea of the eventual Harley Keener (Ty Simpkins) being Chinese, the decision was made to shoot some of the picture in Shanghai, a plan that was put on ice when Robert Downey Jr. injured his ankle on set.

This ultimately meant that RDJ couldn't complete filming, leading to a body double having to be used in the final shots since the actor couldn't walk, but also, it meant they needed to find another way to bring China into the movie. According to The Reign of Marvel Studios, they landed on having a Chinese doctor remove Stark's arc reactor, before having four more minutes based around the character, released exclusively in the Chinese version.

Though Iron Man 3 went on to bring in $121 million from this market, the added four minutes actually backfired, as some in China felt pandered to, wanting only to see the same film that the rest of the world got to see.