I know Howard Stark was clearly based on Walt Disney in 2010s’s Iron Man 2, but was that always intentional from Marvel Studios or did they do that after the Disney Marvel purchase in 2009?
Commentaires
EddieBlizario2025-11-21 09:16
You don’t know that at all
Shaggy_Rogers02025-11-21 09:17
I thought Howard Stark was based on Howard Hughes.
AdditionalBanana95852025-11-21 09:20
Both
Canvaverbalist2025-11-21 16:32
Yeah it's like Mr. House in New Vegas
icouldntdecide2025-11-21 17:37
Andrew Ryan in BioShock - there's just a certain era specific look that is popular to use
MrSkepp2025-11-25 14:57
Just the look, because Andrew Ryan is Ayn Rand with very small penis
Nova_On_Reddit2025-11-21 20:36
It's Dr House and he was in New Jersey
ConorEngelb2025-11-22 08:36
I remember using a mod for Fallout: New Vegas that replaced Mr House with a picture of Dr House
martialar2025-11-21 19:23
Donald Duck v Spruce Goose: Dawn of Justice
Ok_Feedback_32692025-11-21 11:21
imagine mistaking a comic book character for a real life icon
TheJedibugs2025-11-21 15:18
There’s someone here misunderstanding things, but I don’t think it’s who you think it is.
Nethias252025-11-21 12:29
I thought Tony was supposed to be Hughes even from Stan Lee's intent. And Howard was always Disney
low-ki1999992025-11-21 13:31
Sure but the Stark Expo thing is very Epcot inspired
anillop2025-11-21 13:50
It was referring more towards the old Worlds Fairs they used to have. Epcot was based on those too.
ryanchapelle2025-11-21 14:01
Walt had 4 attractions in 64/65 worlds fair with — two with songs written by the Sherman Brothers. They even got Richard Sherman to write “Make Way For Tomorrow” for the movie. He’s definitely Walt inspired (along with Hughes).
anillop2025-11-21 14:37
The worlds fair is way older than that. Back then every major company participated in the fair.
ryanchapelle2025-11-21 15:00
I’m not debating how long worlds fairs have been around, I’m just pointing out why this makes sense that he’s a modeled after Walt. The scene in particular is literally modeled after Walt’s EPCOT video.
https://youtu.be/sLCHg9mUBag?si=XoK_rQ2Wlsjf0wSM
Rand_Casimiro2025-11-21 15:22
The Knoxville World’s Fair’s iconic Sunsphere eventually became home to a renowned wig shop.
anillop2025-11-21 15:29
Bart rented a car with a phony driver's license and drove Milhouse, Martin, and Nelson to a wig outlet in Knoxville and their car got crushed and they're out of money and they can't get home and Bart's working as a courier and just came back from Hong Kong!
Rand_Casimiro2025-11-21 15:50
I knew it! Because why would they have our National Grammar Rodeo in another nation?
kushdogg202025-11-21 15:54
Well you sure don't look 25, but your unlaminated out of state driver's license is proof enough for me.
bulldoggo-172025-11-21 16:56
You mean the Wigsphere?
PHWasAnInsideJob2025-11-22 12:10
Most of the museums along Chicago's lakefront were originally exhibition halls for the 1893 and 1930 World's Fairs.
Edit: Missed the reference. Whoops.
Thraex_Exile2025-11-21 16:57
I think the only difference is that Disney wasn’t just participating, he was making exhibits for OTHER companies too. A lot of their experimental animatronics and ride systems were only possible because it was on other’s dime.
imlegos2025-11-21 19:59
Most specifically; its a small world & Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln were both initially created for Worlds Fairs before being moved to Disneyland.
fistkick182025-11-21 20:37
How dare he participate in capitalism along with every single other businessman at the time.
He didn't even do cool stuff like disposable vacuums
Thraex_Exile2025-11-21 22:02
what?
classphoto922025-11-21 14:58
In the mid-century U.S. you couldn't throw a stick without hitting a white guy in a suit telling you how great the future was going to be.
J-town-doc2025-11-22 17:18
Plastics…
Mister-Distance-66982025-11-21 16:42
Howard Hughes was instrumental in the 1939 worlds fair, which is what the stark expo was much much more based on since it was actually a similar time period
MajorNoodles2025-11-21 16:07
Wait, are you seriously suggesting that the Stark Expo in Flushing, NY was based on the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing, NY? No way. /s
OnlinePosterPerson2025-11-21 18:16
Took this long for someone to say Flushing!
CaptHayfever2025-11-21 16:21
40s Stark is Hughes; 70s Stark is Walt.
OnlinePosterPerson2025-11-21 18:16
Ding
OnlinePosterPerson2025-11-21 18:13
The Howard stark of Captain America the first avenger maybe
mysterious_spirit4202025-11-22 22:21
Mr House is based on Howard Hughes
LemonZestLiquid2025-11-21 09:25
[deleted]
PixelBits892025-11-21 09:40
He’s based on multiple things. Ironman 2 has the “stark expo” which is basically the world’s fair, which Walt was involved in.
LemonZestLiquid2025-11-21 09:43
Ignore the previous comment then.
Popular_Material_4092025-11-21 09:45
Tony Stark the character was based on Howard Hughes when he was invented.
Watch the videos of Walt Disney talking about the new Disneyland he was having be built. The Howard Stark World’s Fair stuff is incredibly similar
IamJohnnyHotPants2025-11-21 09:31
Pretty sure they leaned into the Walt thing because of Howard’s involvement with the Stark Expo and that being similar to Walt and the World’s Fair.
RhettLaundrette2025-11-21 09:54
And EPCOT = Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.
IamJohnnyHotPants2025-11-21 15:39
That’s kind of my point. EPCOT was literally inspired after the World’s Fair. Plus Walt introduced multiple attractions there.
The_Po_Gamer2025-11-21 13:32
The Stark Expo model looks to be very inspired by Walt's old EPCOT model.
IamJohnnyHotPants2025-11-21 15:41
And let’s not forget Walt’s work with the Tesseract.
Honest-J2025-11-21 16:18
Yes and Stark's video looks like it's inspired by Disney's EPCOT video.
PettyHasNoPet2025-11-21 10:02
I think they always hinted at Walt Disney vibes even before the disney acquisition
alesserrdj2025-11-21 10:03
All I know is Slattery is the best Howard. By leaps and bounds.
cybin2025-11-21 16:17
I can't speak for all, but I really enjoyed Dominic Cooper as young Howard.
"Whatever you want, pal."
whyspezdumb2025-11-21 19:27
He made Dracula Untold watchable.
The Devils Double is also great.
Where did he go?
Edit: oh right, Preacher.
StardustOasis2025-11-23 12:01
For some early Dominic Cooper you want to watch The History Boys and Starter For 10.
The casts for both are stacked with people in the early stages of their careers.
whyspezdumb2025-11-23 19:09
These look good, definitely, I'll add them to my list.
James Corden in both though, ehhhh... fine. lol.
bulldoggo-172025-11-21 17:04
I don't remember Trevor pretending to be Tony's father...
Any-Cat212025-11-21 10:03
I think he just wears the style of clothing, mustache and hairstyle common to men of his time.
Lucky-Paperclip-12025-11-21 12:43
And an onion on his belt, which was the style of the time.
Mobius_Infinite2025-11-21 10:09
Tony was based on HH. His dad was given the name as a homage to this. Some of the evidence to support that (in the movies at least) is when Tony makes comments in IM2 and the Avengers about how he doesn’t like ‘being handed stuff’. Howard Hughes had an extreme aversion to being handed things, which was rooted in his germaphobia and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. He developed elaborate instructions for his staff, such as having them use multiple layers of tissue paper to wrap items before he would take them, and would then discard the wrapping after use.
In the movie, Iron Man 2, Howard Stark is stylistically inspired by Walt Disney because of the EPCOT and 1939 World’s Fair parallels. I’m speculating, but it probably doesn’t hurt to have a little promotional and marketing material along the lines of ‘building the father of the character that started it all (in the MCU) in the image of the father of Disney corp’
L. Ron Hubbard defrauded Parsons of his life savings.
Wow
WalterNeft2025-11-21 15:35
And ran away with Parsons wife on a boat for awhile.
WretchedBlowhard2025-11-21 19:32
Gotta keep the dozen of little fuck boys fed and he ain't got no time for cookin' when the cuckin's so good, as I believe the old Scientologist saying goes.
CaptHayfever2025-11-21 16:19
He was fired from JPL for hazardous lab practices, so the explosion is a lot less surprising.
Likesorangejuice2025-11-21 14:05
This would be his inspiration during Captain America, right?
usagizero2025-11-21 14:28
I like to think of him as someone who is as close to an actual comic book character we've gotten. His life is fascinating, and that's putting it mildly. Self taught rocket scientist that made lasting innovations and also an occultist follower of Crowley.
I think the only other person similar was Nikola Tesla, who is more well known.
OppositeStudy28462025-11-21 14:34
Wild story of his life. It just kept going off the rails.
BeeCJohnson2025-11-21 18:39
He'd have to be a lot more into magic. Jack Parsons was a practitioner.
Jack Parsons is more like Doom, actually. Science and magic in combination.
MajorRocketScience2025-11-21 18:43
For the record, this man founded the most important rocketry and space research facility on earth, JPL. Yes those guys that land rovers with hovering cranes on mars
JohnnyRelentless2025-11-21 21:20
And his original name was Marvel Parsons.
tamuzp2025-11-21 11:23
I'm pretty sure Walt Disney was based on Howard Stark
pobenschain2025-11-21 12:24
Iron Man 2 was independently produced by Marvel and shot before Disney bought them (and distributed by Paramount due to a preexisting contract), so Disney would have had nothing to do with that decision
-NinjaTurtleHermit-2025-11-21 12:40
Didn't disney purchase marvel in 2012? I seem to remember it was either just after or just before Avengers 1 premiered in theaters...
ThePopDaddy2025-11-21 14:18
They purchased it right before Iron Man 2 came out. Avengers was the first one fully made after Disney purchased, seeing as Thor and Cap 1 were already wrapping up.
eagc72025-11-21 20:59
They purchased Marvel in 2009, but wouldn't gain distribution of the movies until Avengers
ChaoticCaptain1772025-11-21 12:53
I didn't know he was based on Walt Disney
wheremyturtles2025-11-21 13:05
He’s what you’d get if Terence Howard and Howard the Duck had a kid.
demonoddy2025-11-21 13:37
Always the intent
two2teps2025-11-21 14:52
Howard Stark is a Howard Hughes analogy, but these videos in Iron Man II are absolutely connected to Walt Disney who did similar videos describing the construction of his theme parks.
Johnny_Quasar452025-11-21 15:00
I thought Howard was based on a mix between Raymond Loewy and Howard Hughes
PeaceMaker_IXI2025-11-21 15:14
I mean I see what you're getting at, but wasn't this just...you know, the style at the time? Didn't a lot of guys dress and style themselves this way?
Glass-Economy68882025-11-21 16:44
Yeah. A lot of truth here.
SplintPunchbeef2025-11-21 16:59
That's just what every man looked like back then. Walt Disney was generic 1950-60s American white guy through and through.
OrangeL2025-11-21 17:02
To further reinforce the Walt Disney parallel, the theme song of the Expo is a parody of "Miracles from Molecules" from the Disney ride Adventures Through Inner Space
aflyingsquanch2025-11-21 17:07
Walt was a much more ardent Nazi than Howard...
WatchingInSilence2025-11-21 18:37
It was 100% intentional to have Howard come across like Walt. This was filmed around the time Disney was buying Marvel and they wanted to portray Howard and his "World of Tomorrow" showcase with that nostalgic Walt Disney-vibe. It was probably unrelated to Disney's acquisition of Marvel, but it could have been inspired/motivated by it.
SamVickson2025-11-21 23:44
Howard Stark is even caught smoking between takes, a la Walt Disney smoking like a chimney but hardly ever allowing himself to be photographed/filmed doing so.
PumpThoseNumbers2025-11-21 18:46
Iron man 2 was finished filming 6 months before Disney purchased Marvel in Dec 2009, and released in theatres just 5 months after, so Disney had no involvement in the making of the film, it was already done. The first film they had meaningful input in was the Avengers, which was the next film on the docket and didn’t start filming for over a year (Apr 2011).
Grayx_28872025-11-21 20:17
Bgarz2022025-11-22 00:50
Well this scene specifically is about a Land-Of-Tomorrow esk theme park so ownership aside it fits thematically.
Ok-Bit-31002025-11-22 01:27
I hadn't thought of it being because of influence by Disney. I just figured they were deliberately echoing a memorable image from media history.
BodybuilderReady50722025-11-22 07:04
In the director’s commentary of the movie, Jon Favreau says it was always an homage to Walt Disney and the Stark Expo was Disneyland, though the Disney purchase of Marvel went through as they went through post production. They even hired a Disneyland music composer to make the retro Stark Expo music, which you can hear play out in the credits of the film.
The31stUser2025-11-23 11:06
Thank you, mystery solved
BetterThanOP2025-11-22 17:03
Hard to say since Walt looked like the most generic 60s white businessman you could possibly imagine. Could be an amalgamation of just about any of them.
mykiisme2025-11-23 18:10
more like Howard Hughes
ArmoredAvenger2025-11-26 10:22
This was pre-Disney acquisition.
batakablack2025-11-26 15:41
I think the situation is that walt was inspired by the iconic World fairs through the 1940s and thats just a very Americana image.
Commentaires
https://youtu.be/sLCHg9mUBag?si=XoK_rQ2Wlsjf0wSM
Edit: Missed the reference. Whoops.
He didn't even do cool stuff like disposable vacuums
Watch the videos of Walt Disney talking about the new Disneyland he was having be built. The Howard Stark World’s Fair stuff is incredibly similar
"Whatever you want, pal."
The Devils Double is also great.
Where did he go?
Edit: oh right, Preacher.
The casts for both are stacked with people in the early stages of their careers.
James Corden in both though, ehhhh... fine. lol.
In the movie, Iron Man 2, Howard Stark is stylistically inspired by Walt Disney because of the EPCOT and 1939 World’s Fair parallels. I’m speculating, but it probably doesn’t hurt to have a little promotional and marketing material along the lines of ‘building the father of the character that started it all (in the MCU) in the image of the father of Disney corp’
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack\_Parsons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Parsons)
Clearly he’s a refugee from the Kree Skrull war.
L. Ron Hubbard defrauded Parsons of his life savings.
Wow
I think the only other person similar was Nikola Tesla, who is more well known.
Jack Parsons is more like Doom, actually. Science and magic in combination.