Iron Man is among the 25 latest movies selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. As pointed out by IndieWire, it’s the first Marvel Cinematic Universe entry to receive such an honor.
“Iron Man was the very first film Marvel Studios independently produced. It was the first film that we had all of the creative control and oversight on and was really make or break for the studio,” Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said in a statement. “All of our favorite movies are the ones that we watch over and over again and that we grow up with. The notion that here we are, almost 15 years after the release of Iron Man, and to have it join the Film Registry tells us it has stood the test of time and that it is still meaningful to audiences around the world.”
Hairspray, When Harry Met Sally, Super Fly, and Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie were also chosen. Other titles include House Party and The Little Mermaid, both of which will be releasing remakes next year.
According to Variety, any film inducted into the National Film Registry is considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically” significant, and must be at least 10 years old.
“Films have become absolutely central to American culture by helping tell our national story for more than 125 years,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said. “We are proud to add 25 more films by a group of vibrant and diverse filmmakers to the National Film Registry as we preserve our cinematic heritage.”
