The MCU has shied away from Christmas over the last decade. Aside fromJames Gunn’sGuardians of the Galaxy Christmas Specialand the Disney+ seriesHawkeye, the festive season has rarely featured on screen in the MCU. The previously mentioned projects are also recent examples. However, according toGuy Pearce, the first Marvel Christmas movie actually happened in Phase 2, we’ve all just forgotten about it. Pearce played Aldrich Killian inIron Man 3, a character who started out as a new ally to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), before revealing himself to be The Mandarin, attempting to create super-powered soldiers with the Extremis virus.
Speaking toScreen Rantto promote his new A24 movie,The Brutalist, Pearce reflected on starring in the first Christmas movie in the MCU, at least, according to him. The interviewer, Liam Crowley, asked, “Would you agree thatIron Man 3is a Christmas movie?“The question got a laugh out of Pearce, who agreed, “Yeah, I could see that. Absolutely.”
The somewhat forgettableIron Man 3is far from a holiday classic,even for die-hard Marvel fans. However, the film features plenty of trademarks of a Christmas movie. The final fight between Tony Stark, Aldrich Killian, and his henchmen is set right around Christmas day. In another fight scene, Tony Stark even uses tree ornaments as weapons.Iron Man 3appears to be one of those half-baked Christmas films, likeDie Hard. It is only a Christmas movie because of its setting, but it can still be watched all-year round.
Robert Downey Jr. Is Returning to the MCU
Guy Pearce’s Aldrich Killian met his definitive end inIron Man 3, being defeated by an Extremis version of Pepper Pots and exploding into ash. While death is never a guarantee in the MCU, Pearce hasn’t expressed any enthusiasm about coming back. But, hisIron Man 3co-star, Robert Downey Jr. will be returning to the franchise, in a brand-new role.
After playing Tony Stark for over a decade, and sacrificing himself inAvengers: Endgame, Downey Jr. will be Marvel’s next major villain. The nowOscar-winning actor will play Victor Von Doom,a.k.a. Doctor Doom, inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars. The nature of his return hasn’t been fully confirmed yet. It is unclear if the Avengers will recognize Doctor Doom for looking like Tony Stark, or if movie magic will get in the way and the team acts like he’s a brand-new character.
Jenna Ortega Already Appeared in the MCU 11 Years Ago
There’s no denying that Jenna Ortega is one of Hollywood’s most buzzed-about stars, but even her most loyal fans may not remember her brief MCU role.
Either way, the casting decision has divided the fan base. Some are ecstatic about the Oscar-winning actor returning to the MCU. Downey Jr. was undoubtedly the heart of the early MCU, before handing off the reins to newer characters. However, some are confused by the casting, and are frustrated that Marvel Studios chose an old-reliable choice, rather than a new actor. Cillian Murphy was the fan-casting-favorite for the majority of Marvel fans. But, being realistic, is Murphy ever actually going to do a Marvel movie?
Iron Man 3is streaming on Disney+.Avengers: Doomsdayreleases in theaters in 2026.
Iron Man 3
