Iron Man 3: At last a Disney PoC role model

"Iron Man 3" ("IM3") occupies the number 4 spot on our list of highest grossing movies since President Obama took office (boxofficemojo.com).  Like "Frozen," IM3 is a 2013 release and is still adding to its sales numbers, currently at $1.215 billion.  Yet another Disney movie in the top 10, IM3 has taken in an impressive 66.3% of its revenue from international sales, showing that Disney knows how to bring in crowds worldwide.

Disney only returns a few of the "good guys" from the previous two Iron Man installments, principally the hero Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.), his girlfriend Pepper Potts (played by Gwenyth Paltrow), and Stark's best friend and quasi-sidekick Colonel James Rhodes (played by Don Cheadle).  As with most superhero stories, Stark must battle powerful foes.  What makes the IMs so endearing is Stark's personality flaws.  He is a charismatic genius, Playboy, gazzillionaire, but his ego drives him to be a solo act.  Stark has to overcome his desire to be a Lone Ranger in order for his friends to provide him the assistance he always needs.

While not exactly loaded with people of color, IM3 is definitely a departure from the previously reviewed Disney movies on this blog.  IM3's most prominent supporting actor is non-white - Don Cheadle.  In addition to being a terrific actor, Cheadle's character is very bright, emotionally strong, and in a position of authority - Colonel in the Air Force and head of a special weapons program. While he doesn't get a ton of screen time (it's really the Robert Downey Jr. show), what time he does get reflects very well on him and creates a potential role model for a younger generation.

We can only hope that Disney recognizes the marketing power and social impact of strong, diverse characters when planning future Marvel comic movies.