Iron Man 3, directed by Shane Black, stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes. The movie takes place six months after the events of The Avengers, where Tony Stark is struggling with anxiety and PTSD. The story revolves around the Mandarin, a terrorist who is using advanced technology to wreak havoc on the world.