Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) stands amidst the twisted wreckage of girders and the licks of flame wrought by the preceding spectacular action sequence. “Screw it, it’s Christmas,” he shrugs, and his legion of Iron Man suits explode overhead, striking fireworks illuminating the yuletide sky.

Those wandering into Iron Man 3 last year – and given the film’s position in the top ten highest grossing films of all time, that’s most of you – may not have expected a Christmas theme to appear in Iron Man 3. After all, the film was released mid-year; piggybacking onto the festive spirit might have made some sense for a December release, but in April? Those familiar with the work of Iron Man 3’s director and co-writer Shane Black, however, wouldn’t have been surprised, with Christmas a common theme in Black’s filmography.

Continue reading a discussion of Christmas themes in Shane Black’s films at The Essential.