Iron Man hits $300 million...

I may be that one guy, along with David Poland of Movie City News, who didn't like the movie, but congratulations are still in order.

Iron Man has crossed the $300 million mark in 45 days (six days ahead of Finding Nemo and one day behind Titanic), and it will almost certainly be one of the top-three grossing films of the summer. But even if Indiana Jones eventually out-grosses it in the long run (still likely), or even if one of the three remaining would-be titans (Wall-E, Hancock, The Dark Knight) challenges it for the crown, Iron Man is an unqualified success story. It hit every mark - great reviews, a terrific opening weekend, solid holds from week to week, and fantastic word of mouth.

The first film from Marvel Studios was merely supposed to be the summer curtain raiser, the prelude to Indiana Jones 4 and The Dark Knight. But, like many curtain raisers before it, it has eclipsed the mid-May monster that was supposed to rule the summer, becoming the summer's most popular film, even if it might not quite be the highest grossing one. Just as X-Men 2 stole the thunder from The Matrix Reloaded, and just as Gladiator was the more popular film than Mission: Impossible 2, Tony Stark's maiden voyage stole much of the proverbial wind from the far-more anticipated Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. Both films are liked and both films will be massive successes, but Iron Man will be the one that early summer 2008 will be defined by.

So hats off to Robert Downey Jr, Jon Favreau, and the rest of the gang. Here's hoping that I like the sequel as much as everyone else likes the original.

Scott Mendelson