Trivia: In 2022, this film was inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. It is only the third superhero film to be inducted, following Superman and The Dark Knight.
Trivia: An Iron Man film was in development at Fox in the mid-90s with Tom Cruise eyed for the lead role. The film never came to fruition, partly because the technology required to adapt the character to screen wasn't there yet, but also because Cruise's asking fee to star in it was not a price the studio was willing to risk on a largely unknown character.
Trivia: Nick Fury, as played by Samuel L. Jackson, is modelled after the Ultimate version of Nick Fury in the comics, who in turn was modelled after Jackson, with his blessing. Though Jackson claims to have no recollection of giving Marvel his blessing to use his likeness.
Answer: Tony, even wearing the Iron Man armour, is light enough that the shockwave of the blast throws him out of the way, so he escapes the majority of the explosion's effects. Stane, in his much heavier suit, isn't so lucky and so gets the full impact, which kills him. The flickering of the chest piece is merely a device to show that Tony is still in one piece, even if injured.
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