The Iron Man movie series was the franchise's first solo trilogy arc, but the growing pains of the MCU are all too evident in some of the trilogy's mistakes, both on and off the screen. When it comes to the MCU's movie timeline, Iron Man is more than just one of the franchise's earliest entries, it's also an important film for the entire shared universe. Phase 1 featured both 2008's Iron Man and Iron Man 2 in 2010, with Iron Man 3 marking the start of Phase 2 in 2013. The trilogy focuses on Tony Stark and his journey from the world's leading arms manufacturer to the leader of the Avengers.
