I’m Still Torn About The MCU Avoiding Adapting One Of Iron Man’s Most Famous Marvel Comic Stories Despite Having The Perfect Setup To Do So

Iron Man deservedly got a lengthy and well-rounded story arc as the original MCU character who started the franchise’s legacy, but it’s still a shame that Marvel glossed over one particular comic storyline. Having a plethora of Marvel Comics to use as reference means that the MCU will never be short on stories to tell. However, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to adapt all of them for the screen. When it comes to certain characters, the direction that the MCU chooses to go with a character depends on how it will affect the greater franchise.

As one of the representative heroes of Marvel, Iron Man’s MCU prominence reflected his importance in the comics. The original Iron Man comic series ran for over 40 years with numerous volumes and editions. Tony Stark’s MCU story was ultimately a great fit for the franchise, but it did mean that a lot of his comic plots had to be pᴀssed over. One Iron Man comic story arc in particular was skipped over because of its contents, but it’s a shame since it could’ve fit well into Tony’s existing MCU arc.

The MCU Never Adapted Marvel’s Demon In A Bottle Storyline Despite Teasing It

Select Elements Were Adapted Throughout The Iron Man Trilogy

“Demon In A Bottle” is a nine-issue story arc that was published in 1979 as part of The Incredible Iron Man. After a series of armor malfunctions cause chaos, including the death of a foreign ambᴀssador, Tony is forced to hand over his suit for investigation. He also temporarily steps down as the leader of the Avengers, and with all his newfound spare time, Tony’s drinking increases significantly. He’s able to confront the culprit behind his armor malfunctions, but their fight has consequences and Tony continues to drink excessively in the aftermath.

Although the MCU didn’t adapt this story arc exactly, they definitely took inspiration from it. In the beginning, the MCU’s Tony never shied away from a drink. It is never explicitly said that he has struggles with alcohol, but it was somewhat implied in Iron Man and Iron Man 2. It felt like Iron Man 3 adapted the essence of “Demon in a Bottle” by showing how Tony tries to cope after some devastating events, but the film ultimately focused more on the PTSD aspect of his trauma rather than using alcohol as a coping mechanism.

I Get Why The MCU May Have Avoided The Marvel Storyline, But Its Ties To Iron Man’s Movie Arc Seemed To Still Be There

Marvel Likely Didn’t Want To Adapt Such A Dark Storyline Early On

When reflecting on the MCU’s timeline, it ultimately makes sense that the studio avoided adapting the “Demon in a Bottle” comic story. The earlier days of the MCU were already trying to go for a brighter vibe with a focus on the flashiness of superhero movies, and it understandably leaned heavily in that direction after Disney acquired the studio as well. Tony dealing with alcoholism wouldn’t have meshed well with the overall family-friendly tone that the franchise was going for, which is why they seemingly had to make do with just adapting aspects of it.

The studio did the best that they could given how Disney probably wanted the franchise to be perceived.

Considering that the MCU has started exploring darker themes in recent years, a “Demon in a Bottle” adaptation would’ve fit perfectly into the Multiverse Saga had the timing been right. The studio did the best that they could given how Disney probably wanted the franchise to be perceived. However, it is such a defining part of his story arc in the comics and the MCU does veer close to this story at times, so it does feel strange that they never gave bigger hints about Tony’s struggles with alcohol.

After Iron Man’s MCU Death, I Don’t Think We’ll Ever Get The Story Here Short Of A Reboot

Iron Man’s MC Storyline Has Concluded For Some Time

Tony Stark snapping his fingers in Avengers Endgame

No matter how great the “Demon in a Bottle” storyline is and how much the fans want it adapted, it’s too late for the MCU to do so. Tony and Iron Man are ᴅᴇᴀᴅ and gone, so there’s no chance of ever getting the story unless Marvel were to do a reboot of sorts, which is definitely not the move at this point. Marvel spent almost a decade crafting Tony’s story arc in a beautiful, meaningful way, and it wouldn’t be worth undoing all of that progress with a reboot for the sake of one storyline.

Nevertheless, the “Demon in a Bottle” story still would’ve been a great addition to Tony’s emotional character growth. It definitely would’ve added an extra layer to Iron Man 3 in terms of how he was coping with his PTSD, and it also would’ve had a lasting effect on the rest of his time in the franchise. The MCU had a chance to portray the harrowing realities of addiction, as well as the joy of recovery. However, it was ultimately an understandable omission given the timing of the original Iron Man trilogy in the MCU.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Created by: Kevin Feige
First Film: Iron Man
Upcoming Films: ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars
First TV Show: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Upcoming TV Shows: Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again, Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Marvel Zombies, Wonder Man, Vision Quest
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors