Former cop Brian O'Conner is called upon to bust a dangerous criminal and he recruits the help of a former childhood friend and street racer who has a chance to redeem himself.

Director: John Singleton

Writers: Gary Scott Thompson (characters), Michael Brandt(story)

Stars: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Cole Hauser

Story:
After settling in Miami, Brian, now going by the street name 'Bullitt', makes a living by racing for money. Tej organizes a local street race, involving Suki (Devon Aoki), Orange Julius (Amaury Nolasco) and Slap Jack (Michael Ealy), and calls Brian who agrees to be the fourth driver for the race. Brian wins the race and receives the prize, although he gives a few thousand to Tej to show his gratitude. The police arrive at the scene, forcing all of the racers to flee.

While driving away, Brian is caught by U.S. Customs Service agents after his car is disabled by the grappling hook-like ESD (Electronic Disruption Device) deployed by U.S. Customs Service Agent Markham (James Remar). While in custody, his former boss, F.B.I. Agent Bilkins (Thom Barry), makes a deal with him: should he take part in a joint F.B.I.-Customs Service mission to bring down Carter Verone (Cole Hauser) a ruthless drug lord, his criminal record will be wiped clean. Brian accepts on the condition that he can choose a co-driver.

Brian and Bilkins travel to Barstow, California, where he persuades his childhood friend and ex-convict Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), to help him, in return for his record being cleaned and his house arrest being depleted. Their mission involves working undercover as street racers for Verone, with help from Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes), an undercover U.S. Customs Service agent who Brian takes a liking to. Pearce and Brian win an "audition" race. During the race Markham thinks that the two are trying to run and goes after them, nearly blowing their cover. They escape and are selected for Verone's job, a money laundering run.

Brian, knowing that Markham will blow their cover in the future, makes a backup plan. The team challenges a pair of muscle drivers they raced earlier for pink slips. Despite the engine and power output handicaps, Brian and Rome manage to win the cars, while patching up their differences.

After witnessing Verone torture Detective Whitworth of the Miami P.D. into giving them a window of opportunity to make their getaway, Brian and Rome are warned by Fuentes that they will be killed once the drop is made. Markham refuses, claiming that this is a one time opportunity to catch Verone and threatens them with jail time if they refuse.

Once Brian and Rome embark on the mission with Verone's money in their cars' trunks, and two of Verone's henchmen riding along, Whitworth calls in his units. Brian and Pearce lead the police in a high speed chase to a warehouse complex, which is surrounded by police. A scramble ensues, in which many other street racers, led by Julius and Slap Jack distract the police, allowing Brian and Pearce to sneak away. Two cars are cornered, only it is revealed that Tej and Suki were the ones driving. In reality, Brian and Rome are driving to the drop in the cars they won, to show the henchmen that they were not with the police.

Brian finds out that the drop is not the airstrip, which Markham and his men have stormed, but the Tarpon point exit. Verone, waiting for them there, reveals that he knew Fuentes was an undercover U.S. Customs Service agent and gave her the false info. Rome saves Brian from being killed by Verone's henchmen and the duo drive the car to rescue Monica, launching it onto the yacht and injuring themselves in the process. Brian shoots Verone, disabling him and leaving him to be arrested, and the duffel bags carrying his drug money are recovered. With their records clean, Brian and Rome inform each other that they have swiped some money from the bags, much to their glee.

Los Angeles police officer Brian O'Connor must decide where his loyalties really lie when he becomes enamored with the street racing world he has been sent undercover to destroy.

Director: Rob Cohen

Writers: Ken Li (magazine article "Racer X"),Gary Scott Thompson (screen story) | 3 more credits »

Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez

Story:
On docks outside Los Angeles, a semi-truck is loaded with electronics, but a corrupt dock worker informs an unknown person about the truck shipment. During the night, while the truck drives on the interstate, it is approached by three heavily modified black Honda Civics with green underglow. The occupants of the Civics immobilize the truck driver, hijack the truck and escape, passing through a roadblock and stealing thousands of dollars worth of shipment.

The next day, undercover LAPD officer, Brian O'Conner, is assigned to find the gang responsible for those crimes. Brian uses his cover job at a mechanics shop to infiltrate the local street racing scene. While visiting Toretto's Market, a local drugstore, he flirts with the shop's hostess, Mia Toretto, the sister of a well-known street racer, Dominic Toretto, who is sitting in the back. While eating, Dom's crew, consisting of his girlfriend Letty, Leon, Vince, and Jesse arrive. Vince, who has a crush on Mia, starts a fight with Brian. Dominic scolds Vince, but sends Brian away while warning him never to come back.

One night, during a local racing gathering, Brian arrives with his 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, and Dominic arrives in his 1993 Mazda RX-7. Dominic organizes a drag race with a local betting schemer called Hector, and two other drivers. Brian, out of money, wagers pink slips for his car. During the race, Brian gains an advantage by using a nitrous boost, but loses it when Dominic uses his nitrous to catch up to Brian. Brian races too fast and overheats his engine, handing the victory to Dominic. Afterwards, Dominic mocks Brian in front of the crowd.

However, as Brian prepares to give the keys, LAPD arrives, forcing everyone to flee. Dominic drives his RX7 into a local garage and parks it there, intending to walk home, but he is spotted by a police cruiser. However, Brian arrives and saves him from the cops, earning Dominic's respect. However, they venture into Little Saigon, the territory of Dominic's old racing rival, Johnny Tran and his cousin, Lance Nguyen, who later blow up Brian's car. Afterwards, Dominic informs Brian that he owes him a "ten second car" (a car that can drive a quarter mile in under 11 seconds, from a standstill).

Brian brings a totaled Toyota Supra 2JZ to Dominic's safehouse, where he offers his skills as a driver and a mechanic to fix the car. As the crew settles to repair the car, Brian starts dating Mia, much to Vince's dismay. Brian investigates Hector and Tran, convinced that Tran is responsible for the truck hijackings. After investigating a suspicious purchase from Hector at the parts shop, Brian is cornered by Vince and Dominic, who demand an explanation. Brian lies about checking the cars of his rivals for the upcomingRace Wars, a street racing event in the desert. Convinced, Brian, Vince and Dominic check Tran's garage, and Brian notices a shipment of electronics in the garage. Afterwards, they leave.

Brian reports the shipment of electronics to his superiors at the LAPD and FBI, and they arrest Tran and Lance. However, they are released on bail and the raid proves to be a bust, since the only charges are illegal owning of small weaponry and all the electronics are bought legally, and they will be released on no charges. Clearing Tran's name, Brian is forced to assume again that Dominic is the actual perpetrator of the truck heists, while having doubts. His FBI superior, Bilkins, gives him only 36 hours to find the perpetrator or he will be fired.

Meanwhile, with the Supra done, Dominic invites Brian to Race Wars, and says that they'll talk once Brian has proven his worth. At the race, Jesse loses his father's Volkswagen Jetta to Tran, fleeing after the loss. Tran confronts Dominic, demanding that he must retrieve the car for him, but Dominic mocks him, causing Tran to shout that Dominic ratted him to the police (and unknown to him, it was Brian). In response, Dominic beats him up. Later that night, Brian notices the crew leaving, and realizes that Dominic is the perpetrator. He reveals his true colors to Mia, who is furious with him, but at Brian's pleas, reveals the location of the Civics and aids him in his plans.

Meanwhile, Dominic, Letty, Vince and Leon are driving to their latest target, also their last heist. However, they are forced to act without Jesse as a spare driver. Vince blows the truck's windshield and hooks to the seat, but when he jumps to the truck, the driver shoots at him with his shotgun and swerves with the truck, causing him to fly over and smash against the side door, also jamming his hand within the hook wires, and sustains another gunshot wound. Dominic and Letty try to save him, but Letty is knocked over and flips from the highway, later saved by Leon, and Dominic's car is totaled when the driver shoots through the hood. Brian arrives with Mia, who is commandeering the Supra, and Brian rescues Vince. When Dominic arrives, Brian is forced to blow his cover and calls for a medivac to rescue Vince. Dominic is furious, but manages to control himself, and leaves with Mia and the rest after Vince is saved.

Brian heads over to Dominic's house to arrest him, but Jesse arrives and pleads for Dominic's help to protect him from Tran. Moments later, Jesse is killed in a drive-by shootingby Tran and Lance, prompting Dominic and Brian to pursue them, which results in Dominic injuring Lance and Brian killing Tran. Brian and Dominic then engage in an impromptu street race, narrowly avoiding a train; Dominic is injured after his car clips a truck. Instead of arresting him, Brian gives him the keys to his own car, making good on his earlier wager to deliver a ten-second car and Dominic is able to escape the police.

In the post-credits scene, Dominic is seen driving through Baja, Mexico in a Chevrolet Chevelle, presumably abandoning the Supra.

Bilbo and Company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the Lonely Mountain from falling into the hands of a rising darkness.

Director: Peter Jackson

Writers: Fran Walsh (screenplay), Philippa Boyens (screenplay) | 3 more credits »

Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage

Story:
Bilbo and the Dwarves watch from the Lonely Mountain as the dragon Smaug sets Laketown ablaze. Bard the Bowman breaks out of prison, and eventually kills Smaug with the black arrow brought to him by his son Bain. Smaug's falling body crushes the fleeing Master of Laketown, who was escaping Laketown on a boat laden with the town's gold. Bard reluctantly becomes the new leader of the people of Laketown, as they seek refuge in the ruins of Dale, while Legolas travels to investigate Mount Gundabad with Tauriel. Thorin, now struck with "dragon sickness" over the vast treasure in the mountain, searches obsessively for the Arkenstone, which Bilbo had previously found but kept hidden. Thorin, hearing that people have come to Dale, orders the entrance of the Lonely Mountain sealed off.

Meanwhile, Galadriel, Elrond and Saruman arrive at Dol Guldur and free Gandalf, sending him to safety with Radagast. They battle and defeat the Nazgûl and Sauron himself, banishing them to the East. Azog, marching on Erebor with his vast Orc army, sendsBolg to Gundabad to summon their second army. Legolas and Tauriel witness the march of Bolg's army, bolstered by Orc Berserkers and giant bats.

Thranduil and an elf army arrive in Dale and they form an alliance with Bard in order to re-claim white gems that are part of the Mountain treasure. Bard goes to the mountain and asks Thorin for the share of the gold that he had previously promised the people of Laketown, but Thorin refuses. Gandalf arrives at Dale to warn Bard and Thranduil of the threat posed by Azog, but Thranduil dismisses him. Bilbo sneaks out of Erebor to hand the Arkenstone over to Thranduil and Bard, so that they can trade it for the gems and gold they believe is theirs, preventing the need for a battle. When Bard and Thranduil's armies gather at the gates of Erebor, offering to trade the Arkenstone for the white gems and gold, Thorin angrily refuses to believe they have the Arkenstone until Bilbo admits giving away the Arkenstone, and chides Thorin for letting greed cloud his judgement. Outraged by what he sees as betrayal, Thorin nearly kills Bilbo, but Gandalf arrives at the gate and shames Thorin into releasing Bilbo. Thorin's cousin Dáin arrives with his Dwarf army, and a battle of Dwarves against Elves and Men is imminent. Wereworms emerge from the ground, releasing Azog's army from their tunnels. With the Orcs outnumbering Dáin's army, Thranduil and Bard's forces, along with Gandalf and Bilbo, join the battle. However, a second front is opened when many Orcs, Ogres, and Trolls attack Dale.

Inside Erebor, Thorin suffers traumatic hallucinations before regaining his sanity and leading his company to join the battle. He rides towards Ravenhill with Dwalin, Fíli and Kíli to kill Azog; Bilbo follows them using the One Ring. Meanwhile, Tauriel leaves with Legolas to warn the Dwarves of Bolg's approaching army. Fíli and Kíli are cornered, and Azog executes Fíli, as Bilbo and the other Dwarves look on. As Thorin engages Azog in a fight to the death, Bolg knocks Bilbo unconscious, overpowers Tauriel and then kills Kíli, who had come to her aid. Legolas battles Bolg, eventually killing him. Thorin kills Azog, but is mortally wounded in the process. The Great Eagles then arrive with Radagast and Beornto fight the newly arriving Orc army, and the Orcs are finally destroyed. Bilbo regains consciousness, and makes peace with a dying Thorin. Legolas tells Thranduil he must leave, and Thranduil advises him to seek out a Dunedain ranger in the north who goes by the name "Strider".

Bilbo bids farewell to the remaining members of Thorin's company and journeys home to the Shire with Gandalf. As the two part ways on the outskirts of the Shire, Gandalf admits his knowledge of Bilbo's ring, and tells him that magic rings are not to be used lightly. Bilbo returns to Bag End to find his belongings being auctioned off by his least favourite relatives, the Sackville-Bagginses, because he was presumed dead. He aborts the sale but finds his home pillaged.

Sixty years later, Bilbo receives a visit from Gandalf, thus setting in motion the events of The Fellowship of the Ring.

The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.

Director: Peter Jackson

Writers: Fran Walsh (screenplay), Philippa Boyens (screenplay)

Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage

Story:
Thorin and his company are being pursued by Azog and his Orc party following the events of the previous film. They are ushered along by Gandalf to the nearby home of Beorn, a skin-changer who can take the form of the bear. That night, Azog is summoned toDol Guldur by the Necromancer, who commands him to marshal his forces for war. Azog then delegates the hunt for Thorin to his son Bolg. The following day, Beorn escorts the company to the borders of Mirkwood, where Gandalf discovers Black Speechimprinted on an old ruin. This coincides with a telepathic message from Galadriel urging him to investigate the tombs of the Nazgûl. He warns the company to remain on the path and leaves them. Upon entering the forest they lose their way and are ensnared bygiant spiders. Bilbo then sets about freeing the dwarves with the help of his recently acquired invisibility ring. He subsequently drops the Ring and first begins to understand its dark influence after he brutally kills a centipede-like creature to retrieve it.

The remaining spiders are fended off by the Wood-elves led by Tauriel and Legolas. They also capture the Dwarves, and bring Thorin before their king Thranduil. Thorin confronts the Elvenking about his neglect of the Dwarves of Erebor following Smaug's attack 60 years earlier, and is consequently imprisoned with the other Dwarves. Bilbo, having avoided capture, arranges an escape using empty wine barrels that are sent downstream. While being pursued by the Wood-elves, they are ambushed by Bolg and his Orc party, and Kíli is wounded with a Morgul shaft. They engage in a running three-way battle down the river, but ultimately the Dwarves are able to escape both groups of pursuers. Thranduil then seals off his kingdom when an Orc captive reveals an evil entity has returned and is amassing an army in the south, but Tauriel decides to leave and assist the Dwarves. Legolas goes after her. Meanwhile, Gandalf and Radagast go to investigate the tombs of the Nazgûl, which they find to be empty.

The company are smuggled into Esgaroth by a bargeman called Bard. Thorin promises the Master and the people of Laketown a share of the mountain's treasure. It is then revealed that Bard is a descendant of the last ruler of Dale, and possesses the last black arrow capable of killing Smaug. Kíli is forced to remain behind, tended to by Fíli, Óin, and Bofur, as the remaining company receive a grand farewell. Meanwhile, Gandalf travels south to the ruins of Dol Guldur, while Radagast leaves to warn Galadriel of their discovery at the tombs of the Nazgûl. Gandalf finds the ruins infested with Orcs and is ambushed by Azog. The Necromancer overpowers and defeats Gandalf and reveals himself as Sauron.

Thorin and his remaining company reach the Lonely Mountain, where Bilbo discovers the hidden entrance. He is sent in to retrieve the Arkenstone, and while doing so, he accidentally awakens Smaug. While trying to find Bilbo, Smaug reveals his knowledge of Sauron's return. Back in Laketown, Bard attempts to bring the black arrow to the town's launcher, as he fears what may happen when the Dwarves enter the mountain. However, he is arrested in the process and leaves his son to hide the arrow. Bolg and his Orc party then infiltrate the town and attack the four Dwarves, but are quickly dispatched following the arrival of Tauriel and Legolas. Tauriel then tends to Kíli. While Kíli is recovering, he openly admires Tauriel's beauty and wonders if she loves him. Legolas leaves in pursuit of Bolg. Meanwhile, Gandalf watches helplessly as Azog and an Orc army march from Dol Guldur towards the Lonely Mountain.

Back inside the mountain, Bilbo and the Dwarves try to rekindle the mountain's forge in an attempt to bury Smaug alive in molten gold. This fails however and Smaug stumbles out of the mountain and flies off to destroy Laketown as Bilbo watches in horror at what they have unleashed, saying to himself, "What have we done?

A reluctant hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home - and the gold within it - from the dragon Smaug.

Director: Peter Jackson

Writers: Fran Walsh (screenplay), Philippa Boyens (screenplay)

Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage

Story:
Approaching his 111th birthday, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins begins writing down the full story of his adventure 60 years earlier for the benefit of his nephew Frodo. Long before Bilbo's involvement, the Dwarf king Thrór brings an era of prosperity for his kin under theLonely Mountain, far to the East, until the arrival of the dragon Smaug. Destroying the nearby town of Dale, Smaug drives the Dwarves out of their mountain and takes their hoard of gold. Thrór's grandson Thorin sees King Thranduil and his Wood-elves on a nearby hillside, and is dismayed when they take their leave rather than aid his people, resulting in Thorin's everlasting hatred ofElves.

In the Shire, 50-year-old Bilbo is tricked by the wizard Gandalf the Grey into hosting a party for Thorin and his company of dwarves: Balin, Dwalin, Fíli, Kíli, Dori, Nori, Ori, Óin, Glóin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Gandalf's aim is to recruit Bilbo as the company's "burglar" to aid them in their quest to enter the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo is unwilling to accept at first but has a change of heart after the company leaves without him the next day. Traveling onward, the company is captured by three trolls, Tom, Bert & William, after their ponies are captured. Bilbo stalls the trolls from eating them until dawn. Gandalf exposes the trolls to sunlight, turning them to stone. They search the trolls' cave and find treasure and Elven blades. Thorin and Gandalf each take an Elf-made blade—Orcristand Glamdring, respectively. Gandalf also finds an elven shortsword ("Sting"), which he gives to Bilbo.

The wizard Radagast the Brown finds Gandalf and the company, who tells them of an encounter at Dol Guldur with the Necromancer, a sorcerer who has been corrupting Greenwood with dark magic. The company is then chased by orcs on wargs. Radagast covers the company's escape as Gandalf leads the company through a stone passage to Rivendell. There, Lord Elronddiscloses a hidden indication of a secret door on the company's map of the Lonely Mountain, which will be visible only on Durin's Day. Gandalf later approaches the White Council — consisting of Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman the White — about his involvement with the dwarves. He also presents a Morgul blade Radagast obtained from Dol Guldur as a sign that the Necromancer is linked to the Witch-king of Angmar, despite Saruman's skepticism. When Saruman presses concern to the more present matter of the dwarves and Smaug, requesting that Gandalf put an end to the quest, Gandalf secretly reveals to Galadriel he had anticipated this and had the dwarves move forward without him. Galadriel then asks Gandalf about his motives and encourages him in his quest, promising him that she will come in person to help him, if he should ever need her.

The company journeys into the Misty Mountains where they find themselves amid a colossal battle between stone giants. They take refuge in a cave and are captured byGoblins, who take them to their leader, the Great Goblin in the heart of the mountain. Bilbo becomes separated from the dwarves and falls into a cave where he encountersGollum, who unknowingly drops a golden ring while killing a stray goblin, who attacked Bilbo from earlier, to eat. Pocketing the ring, Bilbo finds himself confronted by Gollum. They play a riddle game, wagering that Bilbo will be shown the way out if he wins or eaten by Gollum if he loses. Bilbo eventually wins by asking Gollum what he has in his pocket. Gollum demands three guesses, as he thinks the question is unfair, but he is unable to get the correct answer. Noticing his ring is lost, Gollum realizes that Bilbo possesses it and chases him. Bilbo discovers that the ring grants him invisibility, but when he has a chance to kill Gollum, Bilbo spares his life and escapes while Gollum shouts his hatred towards the hobbit Baggins.

Meanwhile, the Great Goblin reveals to the dwarves that Azog, an Orc war-chief who beheaded Thrór and lost his forearm to Thorin in battle outside the Dwarven kingdom ofMoria, has placed a bounty on Thorin's head. Gandalf arrives and leads the dwarves in an escape and kills the Great Goblin. Bilbo exits the mountain and rejoins the company, keeping secret his newly obtained ring. The company is ambushed by Azog and his hunting party, and takes refuge in trees. Thorin charges at Azog, but is overpowered and left defenseless on the ground. Bilbo saves Thorin from the orcs just as the company is rescued by eagles. They escape to the safety of the Carrock where Gandalf is able to revive Thorin, who renounces his previous disdain for Bilbo after being saved by him. In the distance, the company sees the Lonely Mountain, where the sleeping Smaug is awakened by the knocking sound of a thrush.

When Tony Stark's world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.

Director: Shane Black

Writers: Drew Pearce (screenplay), Shane Black (screenplay)

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow

Story:
Tony Stark recalls a New Years Eve party in 1999 where he meets scientist Maya Hansen, the inventor of Extremis, an experimental regenerative treatment intended to allow recovery from crippling injuries. Disabled scientist Aldrich Killian offers them a place in his company Advanced Idea Mechanics, but Stark rejects the offer, humiliating Killian.

Years later, six months after the Battle of New York, Stark's experiences during the alien invasion are giving him panic attacks. Restless, he has built several dozen Iron Man suits, creating friction with his girlfriend Pepper Potts. Meanwhile, a string of bombings by a terrorist known only as the Mandarin has left intelligence agencies bewildered by a lack of forensic evidence. Stark's security chief Happy Hogan is badly injured in a Mandarin attack, causing Stark to issue a televised threat to the Mandarin, who responds by destroying Stark's home with helicopter gunships. Hansen, who came to warn Stark, survives the attack along with Potts. Stark escapes in an Iron Man suit, which his artificial intelligenceJ.A.R.V.I.S. pilots to rural Tennessee, following a flight plan from Stark's investigation into the Mandarin. Stark's experimental armor lacks sufficient power to return to California, and the world believes him dead.

Teaming with Harley, a precocious 10-year-old boy, Stark investigates the remains of a local explosion bearing the hallmarks of a Mandarin attack. He discovers the "bombings" were triggered by soldiers subjected to Extremis, which at this stage of development caused certain subjects to explosively reject the treatment. After veterans started exploding, these explosions were falsely attributed to a terrorist plot in order to cover up Extremis's flaws. Stark witnesses Extremis firsthand when Mandarin agents Brandt and Savin attack him. With Harley's help, Stark traces the Mandarin to Miami and infiltrates his headquarters using improvised weapons. Inside he discovers the Mandarin is actually an English actor named Trevor Slattery, who says he is oblivious to the actions carried out in his image. Killian, who appropriated Hansen's Extremis research as a cure for his own disability and expanded the program to include injured war veterans, reveals he is the real Mandarin, using Slattery as a cover. After capturing Stark, Killian shows him Potts (whom he had kidnapped) being subjected to Extremis, in order to gain Stark's aid to fix Extremis's flaws and thus save Potts. Killian kills Hansen when she has a change of heart and tries to stop him.

Killian has manipulated American intelligence agencies regarding the Mandarin's location, luring James Rhodes – the former War Machine, now re-branded as the Iron Patriot – into a trap to steal the armor. Stark escapes and reunites with Rhodes, discovering that Killian intends to attack President Ellis aboard Air Force One. Stark saves some surviving passengers and crew but cannot stop Killian from abducting Ellis and destroying Air Force One. They trace Killian to an impounded damaged oil tanker where Killian intends to kill Ellis on live television. The vice president will become a puppet leader, following Killian's orders in exchange for Extremis to cure his young daughter's disability. On the platform, Stark goes to save Potts, as Rhodes saves the president. Stark summons his Iron Man suits, controlled remotely by J.A.R.V.I.S., to provide air support. Rhodes secures the president and takes him to safety, while Stark discovers Potts has survived the Extremis procedure. However, before he can save her, a rig collapses around them and she falls to her apparent death. Stark confronts Killian and traps him in an Iron Man suit that self-destructs, but fails to kill him. Potts, whose Extremis powers allowed her to survive her fall, intervenes and kills Killian. After the battle, Stark orders J.A.R.V.I.S. to remotely destroy each Iron Man suit as a sign of his devotion to Potts, while the vice president and Slattery are arrested. With Stark's help, Potts' Extremis effects are stabilized, and Stark undergoes surgery to remove the shrapnel embedded near his heart. He pitches his obsolete chest arc reactor into the sea, musing he will always be Iron Man.

In a present day post-credits scene, Stark wakes up Dr. Bruce Banner, who fell asleep listening to his story.

With the world now aware of his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father's legacy.

Director: Jon Favreau

Writers: Justin Theroux (screenplay), Stan Lee (Marvel comic book)

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow

Story:
In Russia, the media covers Tony Stark's disclosure of his identity as Iron Man. Ivan Vanko, whose father Anton Vanko has just died, sees this and begins building a miniature arc reactor similar to Stark's. Six months later, Stark is a superstar and uses his Iron Man suit for peaceful means, resisting government pressure to sell his designs. He re-institutes the Stark Expo in Flushing Meadows to continue his father Howard's legacy.

The palladium core in the arc reactor that keeps Stark alive and powers the armor is slowly poisoning him, and he cannot find a substitute. Growing increasingly despondent and reckless due to his impending death, and choosing not to tell anyone about his condition, Stark appoints his personal assistant Pepper Potts CEO of Stark Industries, and hires Stark employee Natalie Rushman as his personal assistant. Stark competes in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, where he is attacked in the middle of the race by Vanko who wields electrified whips. Stark dons his Mark V armor and defeats Vanko, but the suit is severely damaged. Vanko explains his intention was to prove to the world that Iron Man is not invincible. Impressed by Vanko's performance, Stark's rival, Justin Hammer, fakes Vanko's death while breaking him out of prison and asks him to build a line of armored suits to upstage Stark. During what he believes is his final birthday party, Stark gets drunk while wearing the Mark IV suit. Disgusted, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodesdons Stark's Mark II prototype armor and tries to restrain him. The fight ends in a stalemate, so Rhodes confiscates the Mark II for the US Air Force.

Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., approaches Stark, revealing "Rushman" to be undercover agent Natasha Romanoff and that Howard Stark was a S.H.I.E.L.D. founder whom Fury knew personally. Fury explains that Vanko's father jointly invented the arc reactor with Stark, but when Anton tried to sell it for profit, Stark had him deported. The Soviets sent Anton to the gulag. Fury gives Stark some of his father's old material; a hidden message in the diorama of the 1974 Stark Expo proves to be a diagram of the structure of a new element. With the aid of his computer J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark synthesizes it. When he learns Vanko is still alive, he places the new element in his arc reactor and ends his palladium dependency.

At the Expo, Hammer unveils Vanko's armored drones, led by Rhodes in a heavily weaponized version of the Mark II armor. Stark arrives in the Mark VI armor to warn Rhodes, but Vanko remotely takes control of both the drones and Rhodes' armor and attacks Iron Man. Hammer is arrested while Romanoff and Stark's bodyguard Happy Hogan go after Vanko at Hammer's factory. Vanko escapes, but Romanoff returns control of the Mark II armor to Rhodes. Stark and Rhodes together defeat Vanko and his drones. Vanko seemingly commits suicide by blowing up his suit.

At a debriefing, while news footage of a rampaging Hulk plays, Fury informs Stark that because of his difficult personality, S.H.I.E.L.D. intends to use him only as a consultant. Stark and Rhodes receive medals for their heroism.

In a post-credits scene, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson reports the discovery of a large hammer at the bottom of a crater in a desert in New Mexico.

After being held captive in an Afghan cave, an engineer creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.

Director: Jon Favreau

Writers: Mark Fergus (screenplay), Hawk Ostby (screenplay)

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard

Story:
Genius, billionaire, and playboy Tony Stark, who has inherited the defense contractor Stark Industries from his father, is in war-torn Afghanistan with his friend and military liaison, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes to demonstrate the new "Jericho" missile. The convoy is ambushed and Stark is critically wounded by one of his own rocket propelled grenades. He is captured and imprisoned in a cave by the terrorist group the Ten Rings, and an electromagnet is grafted into his chest by fellow captive Yinsen to keep the shrapnel shell shards that wounded him from reaching his heart and killing him. Ten Rings leader Raza offers Stark freedom in exchange for building a Jericho missile for the group, but Tony and Yinsen agree Raza will not keep his word.

Stark and Yinsen secretly build a powerful electric generator called an arc reactor to power Stark's electromagnet and a suit of powered armor to aid in their escape. Although they keep the suit hidden almost to completion, the Ten Rings attack the workshop when they discover their intentions. Yinsen sacrifices himself to divert them while the suit powers up. The armored Stark battles his way out of the cave to find the dying Yinsen, then in anger burns the Ten Rings weapons and flies away, crashing in the desert and destroying the suit. After being rescued by Rhodes, Stark returns home and announces that his company will no longer manufacture weapons. Obadiah Stane, his father's old partner and the company's manager, advises Stark that this may ruin Stark Industries and his father's legacy. In his home workshop, Stark builds an improved version of his suit, as well as a more powerful arc reactor for his chest. Personal assistant Pepper Potts places the original reactor inside a small glass showcase. Though Stane requests details, Stark keeps his work to himself.

At a charity event held by Stark Industries, reporter Christine Everhart informs Stark that his company's weapons, including the Jericho, were recently delivered to the Ten Rings and are being used to attack Yinsen's home village, Gulmira. Stark also learns Stane is trying to replace him as head of the company. Enraged by these revelations, Stark dons his new armor and flies to Afghanistan, where he saves Yinsen's village. While flying home, Stark is shot at by two F-22 Raptor fighter jets. He reveals his secret identity to Rhodes over the phone in an attempt to end the attack. Meanwhile, the Ten Rings gather the pieces of Stark's prototype suit and meet with Stane, who subdues Raza with a sonic device and has the rest of the group killed. Stane has a new suit reverse engineered from the wreckage. Seeking to find any other weapons delivered to the Ten Rings, Stark sends Pepper to hack into the company computer system from Stane's office. She discovers Stane has been supplying the terrorists and hired the Ten Rings to kill Stark, but the group reneged. Potts meets with Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D., a counter-terrorism agency, to inform him of Stane's activities.

Stane's scientists cannot duplicate Stark's arc reactor so Stane ambushes Stark at home and takes his, though Stark manages to get to his original reactor to replace the taken one. Potts and several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents attempt to arrest Stane, but he dons his suit and attacks them. Stark fights Stane, but is outmatched without his new reactor to run his suit at full capacity. Stark lures Stane atop the Stark Industries building and instructs Potts to overload the large arc reactor there. This unleashes a massive electrical surge that causes Stane and his armor to fall into the exploding reactor, killing him. The next day, at a press conference, Stark admits to being the superhero the press has dubbed "Iron Man".

In a post-credits scene, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury visits Stark at home, telling him that Iron Man is not "the only superhero in the world", and explaining that he wants to discuss the "Avengers Initiative