The ‘I Am Iron Man’ Moment in ‘Endgame’ Proves Film Editors Deserve More Respect, Fans Say
When Avengers: Endgame hit the theaters, people flocked to see it, making the movie the top-grossing film ever. But while Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are enthusiastic about the work of the actors and writers, there’s another group of professionals who had more influence on the movie’s success than people may realize.
Film editors are so important to creating the final product that if they don’t get it right they can even undermine a good movie.
But fortunately for Avengers’ fans, the film editors on the project were top-notch. There’s a moment that only happened thanks to the editors, and fans say it was the perfect touch.
Editing ‘Endgame’ was grueling
Since Endgame was the fourth movie in a series with a boggling number of details and twists, the editing process was especially demanding. To ensure continuity the editors, Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt, had to be well-versed in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and the plot and subplots of all the movies.
Working on Infinity War and Endgame took two editors two years to accomplish. They had to comb through 900 hours of filming, working insanely long hours.
Ford, who has been with the franchise since the beginning, said about working on the two movies, “was one of the most intense periods of filmmaking I ever experienced, and I have worked on some crazy movies.”
The editors inserted an important line
According to IndieWire, the directors realized that something crucial was missing when Iron Man ended the final battle. As the scene was originally shot, Thanos had the last word, saying “I am inevitable.” The directors could see that it was unlike Tony Stark to have no comeback, considering that he had so many of them during the series. A stoic Iron Man just didn’t work.
The directors tried and tried to figure out what his response should be, but they simply couldn’t come up with a good line. It was Ford, with his acute sense of continuity, who recognized the right response, “I am Iron Man.” It was not only a bold retort, but it was also the same declaration he made at the end of Iron Man, bringing his story full circle. The directors knew it was the right choice, and they were excited to return to filming, so they could insert the line.
Fans agree it was the perfect choice
In a recent Reddit discussion, fans discussed that powerful final line, and how it came to be. “Apparently they came up with the line in editing,” one person said. Another commenter mentioned how pivotal the editors were in fixing the scene, “Not only in editing, the editor suggested it when they were putting the scene together and decided that Tony should say something.”
Fans who hadn’t heard about this were amazed. “So he was just going to snap without saying anything? Thank God they changed it. Tony had to say something and what he said was probably the best line he could give.”
People agreed that this contribution was huge, saying that it’s, “quite crazy if you think about it. The writers and the Russo brothers missed that part. This is why editors deserve a huge amount of credit, movies are made 3 times.” This refers to the maxim that movies are made when they are written, then again when they’re filmed, then finally when they’re edited.
In this case, it’s clear that the editors made all the difference in making the movie the best it could be. It was the perfect end to a great series, and fans think the editors should get the credit they deserve for finishing it right.
