So I saw an MCU Iron Man spinoff movie a few days ago... it was called Now You See Me.
Granted, it took some post-flick reflection to realize what it really was, but the start-to-finish glut of Stark Industries-style holograms was the key clue. So, here's the rub: post-Avengers but pre-IM3, in an effort to alleviate his PTSD, Tony takes a rather large hit of some questionable brown acid, and this movie is his ensuing trip. Which explains not just the nonstop holograms, but also why his new friend Bruce Banner is there, again playing a part in which he's more than he at first appears.