Iron Man 3: Tony Stark and His Astonishing Home
Five interesting facts about Tony Stark’s House
Guest Post by Rob Wachter
I can’t deny it… Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) is one of my favorite movie characters on the big screen. And based on the scores of people who will pack the theaters on May 3rd for the debut of Iron Man 3, it’s safe to say I’m not the only one!
What I love most about Mr. Stark is that he transformed himself from a greedy, genius narcissistic who only cares about money to a bad-guy-fighting superhero that single handedly privatized world peace (albeit, still a narcissist).
Did you notice, like a teenage tech prodigy on steroids, Stark created his masterpiece from the basement of his own home? Which begs the question, what type of home does Tony Stark prefer? And what’s the story behind that house?
Here are five interesting facts about the superhero’s ultramodern dwelling.
- The residence was inspired by a real-life home designed by the famous architect Wallace E. Cunningham. The 11,000-square-foot house in La Jolla, California is called “The Razor” and took six years to build. It was completed in 2008 and features white polished concrete with spectacular panoramic windows designed to embrace sweeping ocean views. Did you think Tony would settle for anything less?
- The Razor sold for about $14 million. In the movies, however, Stark lives in Malibu where the same home (if it existed there) might be valued at approximately $40 million.
- The Razor has been used in commercials for Calvin Klein and Visa. Do you think Tony uses those brands? Just wondering.
- Stark’s house is depicted on a cliff near Point Dume, which is a state park. So it would be impossible to live in that actual spot. However, if Tony lived somewhere nearby, he might have celebrity neighbors like Barbra Streisand, Pamela Anderson, Owen Wilson, and Kenny G.
- The movie previews seem to indicate the bad guys do major damage to Tony’s home. Perhaps this time the home will be ruined forever.
It makes sense Stark would be attracted to a hyper-modern home with breathtaking views on a private mountain hill. Considering he’s already saved the world twice, I say he deserves it.
Guest Blogger Rob Wachter is the Inbound Marketing Manager for Coldwell Banker Bain. You can read more posts by Rob on Fences and Flowers.
21 Comments
Suzanne Mueller
May 2, 2013I just love that home AND the movies. It took a major hit in the Avengers too but seems to still be standing. Is the interior that is shown in the movie at all similar to the interior of the original home?
Rob Wachter
May 2, 2013I don’t know for sure if the interior is the same, but it sure seems very similar. Google “The Razor” and you’ll find lots of images featuring the incredible home. That would be fun to do for comparison before seeing the new flick.
Highlands Mommy
May 2, 2013Every detail of that home is unique and stunning. Like nothing I’ve seen. Only 14 million?
Rob Wachter
May 2, 2013Yep! http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/21/razor-house-sold-141-million/
Laura Yamanoha
May 2, 2013Wow! Check out the pictures of “The Razor” what a beautiful home. Great post Rob!
Susan Stockmann
May 2, 2013Looking forward to the movie – and would love to see the home in person 🙂 Thanks Rob!
maseyzara2
May 6, 2013The house is somewhat Jetsons inspired in the pictures–reminiscent of Seattle’s space Needle. I would like to see a superhero take over THAT as a domicile.
Rob Wachter
May 6, 2013Ha! Wasn’t the Space Needle in one of the Austin Powers movies?
Brenton Willingham
February 22, 2014Oh yes it was.
Nolan Walker
May 13, 2013Contrary to your post, this home was NOT inspired by the Razor house by Wallace Cunningham. The guy (Phil Saunders) who created the Iron Man house has stated on his own blog that:
“Production Designer Michael Riva mandated a Malibu cliffside home in the vein of John Lautner’s really organic cast concrete & glass homes. The first designs were for set extensions of existing homes, but nothing we scouted looked like
a billionaire’s home. A few multi-millionaires homes but…”
The Razor house was completed sometime in 2007, Iron Man’s scenes at the
house were shot in May 2007 and wrapped at the beginning of June. In
other words, the design work for the Iron Man house would have been
completed months before the Razor house was completed. Especially when you consider that they had already looked at existing homes and tried to design extensions to make them truly “billionaire” worthy, and had failed at the task.
The Iron Man house exterior is CGI, the interiors were all created and built on a sound stage. No shots took place at an existing real house.
Here is a fairly tongue-in-cheek valuation of the Iron Man house: http://www.brobible.com/entertainment/article/where-is-iron-man-house
Rob Wachter
May 13, 2013Nolan – It looks like you’re correct in that there are conflicting stories online about the inspiration of the home. Thank goodness we’re talking about a fictitious home! Thanks for reading and sharing..
Kimber
August 25, 2013Seeing as how they design homes sometimes down the the very last detail (whether or not each detail actually makes the cut) especially such an expensive fictional or not home I dnt understand how it could not have bn motivated inspired or based on the Razor home. They are VERY similar. I’m certain it can take as much time to design a movie and it’s scenery as it does to design a billionaires home. I believe it’s quite possible to have been based on the Razor. Oh and I just have a disdain for rude know it alls tht take to blogs just to attempt a correction in an abhorrent and rude manner.
Xana La Fuente
January 2, 2017Thank you. I get corrected by strangers on my own website regarding stories about Seattle musicians, one of whom was my fiance who died in my arms. Theres always some Debbie Downer trying to correct everyone. Its obviuosly inspired by that house, maybe they have other reasons for not admitting it. In the movie Heat, a great house was used, my friend owns it and got paid 10,000.00 a day while they filmed there. That is a fact!
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