Paramount Confirms Iron Man Coming Early

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Summer tentpole flick Iron Man will get an early start on the box office action, debuting on 2,000 screens May 1 at 8 p.m. That early limited release will bring the weekend numbers down, but Marvel and Paramount think they’ll make much of that money back if positive word-of-mouth holds up.

They hope to see Friday and Saturday numbers spike as those early viewers go tell it on the Marvel mountain. Of course, if the diehard audience doesn’t like it that measure could backfire. This one is huge not just because it’s the first summer blockbuster out of the gate, but because it is Marvel’s first movie as a standalone studio. With good word coming from critics, who are often harsh on comic book material, most experts expect $70 million or more from the Robert Downey Jr. vehicle.