Sacha Howells,
Feb 07, 2008
Iron Man started development in 1990, and just 18 short years later, we finally get to see it. Lots of people have been rumored to be attached over the years -- Quentin Tarantino, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, Joss Whedon -- but filming recently wrapped with Jon Favreau directing and Robert Downey Jr. starring as Tony Stark.
The movie releases on May 2, and with just three months to go, it's amazing what a tight lid Favreau and Marvel Comics have been able to keep on things.
Here's what we know:
New Origin
In the comics, Iron Man was created in Vietnam; now that's been updated to Afghanistan, where billionaire inventor Tony Stark is kidnapped by Jihadis. Forced to build weapons for his captors, Stark secretly constructs a suit of armor, and -- ta-daah! -- queue Black Sabbath.
We Have a Villain!
Jeff Bridges, complete with a shaved head, plays Obadiah Stane, aka the Iron Monger, a friend and mentor turned rival with a metal suit of his own. This sneaked photo of Iron Man facing a much bigger bad guy is assumed to be from a scene with the Iron Monger. (The Mandarin, Iron Man's main nemesis in the comic series, will appear, but in a small role.)
Gwyneth Paltrow Is Virginia "Pepper" Potts
In a departure from her usual roles, the Oscar-winner will be playing Stark's secretary and, probably, love interest.
Terrence Howard Is Jim Rhodes
Another big name in another big role. In the comic, Rhodes, Stark's friend and sidekick, stepped into the suit himself when Stark slipped into alcoholism, and eventually became the villain War Machine.
There's Always Room for Samuel L. Jackson
Sam Jackson plays Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and here makes a cameo crossover appearance; he's supposed to have his own movie, but it's still in pre-production.
Hillary Swank Cameo Confirmed
Two Oscar winners? This is a class affair. Does this mean that Swank will be recurring in another movie, too? They've started working on an Avengers script -- could she be Wasp? The Scarlet Witch? The Black Widow?
The Incredible Hulk Crossover
At Sundance last month, William Hurt told MTV that he plays a scene with Robert Downey Jr. in The Incredible Hulk, which comes out June 13.
It's a Trilogy!
Box office permitting, and I don't think it's going to be a problem, Favreau is planning three Iron Man movies, and wrote the first with that longer progression in mind. Stark's alcoholism, the role of the Mandarin, Rhodes's eventual transformation into War Machine -- threads introduced here will bear fruit later down the line.
