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‘Iron Man’ With Bill Simmons and Van Lathan

May 2, 2023 · Iron Man (2008) · Action · Adventure · Sci-Fi · 1:45:14 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 36:26The first six minutes of the movie - starting in the truck in the Middle East, the convoy attack, going backwards in time, and the montage of who Tony is
Van Lathan▶ 37:20Iron Man's first flight in the Mark 1 suit when he escapes and fights the Ten Rings organization

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 56:00Pepper Potts (second time picking her)
Van Lathan▶ 55:34The MCU - aged perfectly because it grew in significance and relevance and dominance, until it hit snags and became a chore

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 57:17Press conference and a cheeseburger scene
Van Lathan▶ 57:23Press conference and a cheeseburger scene

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 58:45The Malibu House - when the Vanity Fair Reporter wakes up and there's just windows and shit, then we get the wide shot
Van Lathan▶ 58:53The Malibu House - agrees with Bill's pick, noting the rich guy stuff and Jarvis waking her up

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 59:44The ending and showdown with Jeff Bridges and Downey are fine but not great, and Iron Man 2 is not great
Van Lathan▶ 1:00:17Iron Man 2 doesn't seem good now - it's a very important movie, but it's not that good

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:29Danny's facial hair (the mustache with Fu Manchu/Van Dyke combo)
Van Lathan▶ 1:03:15MySpace reference and Tony Stark's pre-Me Too behavior with women

Ron Burgundy Flute Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:07No good bathroom break opportunities because the movie moves too fast and you'd miss something important

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:12No

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:22Is it better to be feared or respected? And I say, is it too much to ask for both?

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:45George Clooney needed a franchise like Iron Man in the mid-2000s and could have pulled off Tony Stark - it's basically Danny Ocean with toys
Van Lathan▶ 1:04:37After Iron Man, Marvel refused to cast light-skinned black men in major roles because of their bad experience with Terrence Howard

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:21The Leather character from Ten Rings

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:53Sam Rockwell — Discusses Sam Rockwell was originally wanted for Tony Stark before Downey; suggests Rachel McAdams would have been better than Gwyneth Paltrow for Pepper Potts; proposes Scarlett Johansson for the Vanity Fair reporter role; suggests Jessica Chastain would have been interesting for Pepper Potts; mentions Beth from Yellowstone as another Pepper Potts option
Van Lathan▶ 1:10:11Rachel McAdams — Agrees Rachel McAdams would have been better as Pepper Potts than her eventual Doctor Strange role; discusses Terrence Howard's departure and agrees Don Cheadle now owns the Rhodey character; generally agrees with Bill's casting suggestions

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:35Shares multiple trivia facts including: Favreau and Downey got SpaceX tour from Elon Musk, filmed in LA because Favreau thought too many comic movies were East Coast-set, DVDs made $160 million, first suit weighed 90 pounds, and animators studied skydivers in wind tunnels for aerial movements
Van Lathan▶ 1:15:53Provides detailed explanation of Mandarin villain storyline across movies and explains how the realistic flying physics added to the film's believability - Tony wasn't flying smooth but fighting against physics

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:30Robert Downey Jr. — Yes for Downey Jr. and Favreau - both at career peaks with maximum 'juice' after this movie
Van Lathan▶ 1:20:32Jon Favreau — Yes for Favreau and agrees on Downey Jr. after considering Endgame alternative

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:25:14Discussed multiple options including Jericho, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts (calling it 'a great Philly name'), and Ironmonger, but didn't give one definitive pick

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:52Samuel L. Jackson — Sam Jackson - confirms the movie was better with Sam Jackson, who was shoehorned into the last scene

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:00Robert Downey Jr. — Tony

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:31Three questions: Pepper Potts lives in Beverlywood/Culver City/Overland exit area for commute access; she makes around half a million annually as executive assistant; and dismisses the Jarvis AI question as franchise nonsense where 'they just make up anything'
Van Lathan▶ 1:34:03Pepper lives in Cheviot Hills for optimal commute to both downtown and Malibu; she makes half a million per year but has unlimited access to Tony's resources; Jarvis becomes Vision, a bio-organic Avenger who has a relationship with Scarlet Witch

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:26The Dark Knight — Iron Man and The Dark Knight (2008 double feature)
Van Lathan▶ 1:37:24The Dark Knight — Iron Man and The Dark Knight (2008 double feature)

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:42:04You got to figure out the Pepper Potts thing, Tony - don't keep her waiting after nine years of working for you
Van Lathan▶ 1:41:51Don't make weapons. But if you do make them, keep them to yourself.

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:42:24Robert Downey Jr. — Presents the choice between Downey and Marvel, noting Downey wins the movie as much as anyone can but Marvel creates a whole universe from it
Van Lathan▶ 1:42:37Robert Downey Jr. — It's a tie between Downey and Marvel

Movies Referenced (50)

Superman (2025)

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 3:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iron Man 3 (2013)

9 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 25:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spider-Man (2002)

9 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 4:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Batman (1989)

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 2:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iron Man 2 (2010)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 30:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Avengers (2012)

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 30:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chef (2014)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Dark Knight (2008)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 22:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Thor (2011)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 30:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Weird Science (1985)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 13:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Black Panther (2018)

3 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:06:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Black Widow (2021)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (9)

George Clooney

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for The Ides of March, Good Night, and Good Luck., Michael Clayton▶ 1:07:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 5:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brit Manor

3 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 50:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andrea Bias

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Black Adam, A Simple Favor, The Intern▶ 18:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Daniels

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 55:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Cramer

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Iron Man, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps▶ 50:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Altman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Gosford Park, Nashville, Short Cuts▶ 33:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Raimi

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Spider-Man, The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness▶ 5:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 1:13:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (62)

Terrence Howard

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Hustle & Flow, Crash, Iron Man▶ 8:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gwyneth Paltrow

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Shakespeare in Love, Sliding Doors▶ 8:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Downey Jr.

10 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Iron Man, Iron Man 3, Avengers: Endgame▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Audi Resendez

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Let's Be Cops▶ 1:01:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Josh Hamilton

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Eighth Grade, Dark Skies, Alive▶ 11:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Kingsley

5 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Sexy Beast, Gandhi, Schindler's List▶ 1:16:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Damon

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed▶ 16:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rich Paul

5 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Godzilla▶ 1:28:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Samuel L. Jackson

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Pulp Fiction, The Hateful Eight, Snakes on a Plane▶ 52:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeff Bridges

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart, True Grit▶ 8:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jessica Chastain

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Zero Dark Thirty, Crimson Peak, Molly's Game▶ 1:12:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Plastic Bertrand

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Three Kings, Ruby Sparks, The Wolf of Wall Street▶ 23:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Stan Lee

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Black Panther, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Doctor Strange▶ 28:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Toback

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Gambler▶ 17:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Kirby

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Black Panther, Iron Man▶ 28:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lorne Michaels

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 14:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 36:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗