Marvel, the company responsible for so many of the comic book heroes in films and on television these days, probably needs to come up with a new dating system. Everything that came before the release of The Avengers this spring should be marked as B.A. (or before Avengers), and everything afterwards needs to be designated A.A. (after Avengers). That movie had such a profound impact on all of the company's intellectual property, irrevocably changing everything.
For instance, the plot of the next Iron Man movie, which during the B.A. era was simply a moderately successful franchise, is now a closely guarded secret that many people are waiting with bated breath to hear. Fortunately, according to The Hollywood Reporter, some details are available. To wit:
Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?
That is frustratingly vague. The description of Thor 2's plot wasn't much clearer, so this is all we'll have to go on for now. Fortunately, Shane Black, who is responsible for the phenomenal Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as some excellent action movies like The Long Kiss Goodnight, is in charge, so we have that to look forward to.