Let's get this out of the way right up front: Iron Man 3 and The Dark Knight Rises both rock so this isn't a criticism of either movie. We're alsosaying Iron Man 3 ripped off TDKR as the Marvel sequel was already in the works by the time Nolan's Batman finale opened.

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The purpose of this feature is to simply point out some of the superficial, but noteworthy similarities between the two third installments in these superhero trilogies. Of course,for both films lie ahead.

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Reclusive Hero

Hero's Malady

So without further ado ...The beginning of both movies sees the hero having withdrawn from the world after the events of their last big screen appearance. Reeling from the alien invasion and near-death experience he faced in The Avengers, Tony has essentially holed up inside his mansion building dozens of new versions of his Iron Man armor, much to the chagrin of his significant other Pepper Potts. Bruce Wayne has become a full-fledged hermit, to the point that Howard Hughes-esque legends have sprung up around him. He hobbles around Wayne Manor in his housecoat, waiting for a chance to startle a sexy thief with his archery skills.

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Sins of the Past

Villain With an Odd Voice

The films' respective superheroes both face debilitating issues. Tony Stark has crippling anxiety attacks as a result of the events of The Avengers, while Bruce Wayne must recover from the broken back Bane gave him (he also starts out with a limp from the injuries he received during TDK). Both heroes have to rise to the occasion to overcome their respective maladies if they're to stop the bad guys and save the day.The sins of the heroes' pasts come back to haunt them in a big way in their respective third films. Tony's rejection of both Maya Hansen and Aldrich Killian fuel their desire to hurt him in the present, while Batman's complicity in spreading the lie of Harvey Dent's heroism is brought to light by Bane.

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Far From Home

Best Pal Hospitalized

Loss of Estate & Belongings

Much has been made about Tom Hardy's curious vocal choice for TDKR bad guy Bane. It's inspired countless parody videos, jokes, imitations and rants. Similarly, Ben Kingsley's choice - or is that Trevor Slattery's? -- for the Mandarin's voice has almost been equally talked about, but as Iron Man 3's big twist reveals it's all a put-on anyway. Bane, on the hand, really talked like that.Tony Stark spends a good chunk of Iron Man 3 in a small town in Tennessee where he uncovers details on Extremis and A.I.M. before finally ending up in Miami. After Bane breaks him, Bruce Wayne is imprisoned in that hellhole prison in Crapistan (or wherever it was on the other side of the world) where he must heal himself physically and psychologically before he can return to save Gotham.Happy Hogan gets caught in the bad guys' blast, landing him in the hospital and prompting Tony to call out the Mandarin on TV and give him his address to come get him. Commissioner Gordon runs afoul of Bane, getting shot before he can make his escape. A hospitalized Gordon spurs a retired Batman to get back on the horse, er, Batpod.

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Hero is Believed Dead

Young Sidekick

Female Colleague/Secondary Love Interest is Really a Villain

The Villain Twist

The Mandarin's copters leveled Tony's Malibu mansion, destroying his oceanfront headquarters in spectacular fashion. Bruce Wayne lost his home and valuables in a less showy, but just as devastating manner as the bad guys managed to legally cost Wayne his fortune (Bruce ended up so broke the power was even turned off in Wayne Manor). Bruce's "death" also led to Wayne Manor being turned into an orphanage. In the end, both heroes leave their old stomping grounds behind for new beginnings.After the Mandarin destroys Tony's home, the media presumes Stark is dead. Even Pepper thinks he's gone until he calls her. Stark then lets the ruse play out awhile longer for his own reasons. The Dark Knight Rises, of course, ends with Batman sacrificing himself to save Gotham City from Bane's nuke (and Bruce Wayne conveniently dying during the city's occupation), which we are led to believe until Alfred makes his fateful visit to that cafe.Tony Stark gets assistance from that young boy in Tennessee (as well as from that worshipful TV news van tech), while Nolan's Batman finally gets his Robin in the form of GCPD officer John Blake.Anyone who read the "Extremis" storyline from the comics knew that Iron Man 3's Maya Hansen was bound to betray Tony at some point. The casting of Marion Cotillard in TDKR never quite fooled anyone that Wayne Enterprises board member Miranda Tate wasn't anyone other than the character that fans had long suspected she was, Talia Al Ghul.

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Love Interest Saves Hero, Kills Villain

Clean Slate

Where's My British Servant?

Aussie Actor as Corporate Bad Guy

As stated above, TDKR's villain twist is that Miranda Tate is actually Talia Al Ghul, the leader of the League of Shadows. But in Iron Man 3, the twist is that the Mandarin is actually just an actor named Trevor Slattery, who is hired to play a bogeyman terrorist character as part of a ruse perpetuated by the film's true evil mastermind, Aldrich Killian.An Extremis-infused Pepper Potts saves Tony and kills Killian, even spouting a line afterward about how violent it all was. Catwoman blows away Bane just as he's about to kill Batman, quipping that she has a very different view on guns than Batman.In Iron Man 3, "clean slate" is a protocol whereby Tony destroys all of his armor. In TDKR, "clean slate" is a storied computer program that can wipe out someone's past and allow them a second chance. Both Iron Man and Batman take full advantage of their respective clean slates in the end.At one point during Iron Man 3, Tony loses the services of his English-accented A.I. program/helper Jarvis when the latter needs to recharge. During TDKR, Bruce fires Alfred after learning during a teary-eyed exchange that his loyal butler and father figure had lied to him about Rachel Dawes' feelings toward Harvey Dent. The absence of both Jarvis and Alfred leave our respective heroes with notable voids in the homestretch.Australian star Guy Pearce plays Aldrich Killian, whose company A.I.M. is behind the Extremis program and all of Tony's woes in Iron Man 3. Meanwhile in TDKR, Aussie character actor Ben Mendelsohn plays shady Wayne Enterprises board member John Daggett, who bankrolls Bane's crimes even as he schemes to wrest control of Bruce's company away from him.

Hail to The Chief

The President of the United States is a character in both films. Iron Man 3 makes the President (played by Die Hard 2's William Sadler) a major supporting character whose rescue is a key part of the finale. TDKR sees the President (played by 24's William Devane) pop up in news broadcasts about Bane's occupation of Gotham.