May 12, 2008,
C. Robert Cargill
Editor's Note: If you missed part one check it out here.
So you knew it was coming. The studio bet Iron Man would make $70 million, though they secretly prayed for $90 million, and it ended up making $102 million the opening weekend. And while the secret ending (not shown to critics) hinted at an Avengers movie, which would include such luminaries as Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America and Ant Man, the likelihood of such a movie hinges upon the success of the upcoming Incredible Hulk movie. What isn't uncertain at this point is whether or not they will be making another Iron Man movie. Insiders have mentioned that director Jon Favreau wants to do a trilogy. We here at Film.com are now wondering, "What the hell do we want to see out of another Iron Man movie?"
1.) The Mandarin
Now that we've seen Tony Stark take on an armored foe (arguably, half of his rogues' gallery is comprised of armored foes), I want to see him fight something decidedly un-armored. And that would be The Mandarin. Something of a super genius in his own right, he possesses 10 rings of alien origin that each give him a different power. If that didn't make him badass enough, he also is a master martial artist and can harness the power of his own chi to do almost superhuman things. Since we've finally broken the wall and acknowledged that other superheroes and villains exist in this universe, I'd love to see Iron Man become more than just a series of robot/battle suit technology fights.
2.) Another Superhero
Here's another thing on my wish list. I want to see Iron Man duke it out with another superhero, someone from the Marvel Comics universe who is perceived as a threat (like the X-Men or Ghost Rider). Maybe even a bigger Hulk crossover? Perhaps, this would be a great way to introduce a superhero to the world that doesn't have name recognition to anyone but comic book dorks (like myself). If only Wesley Snipes weren't going to jail, this would be the perfect place for his Black Panther or for other interesting Avenger alums to show up, like Hawkeye or The Vision.
3.) More Action
Okay, I loved Iron Man, but I also want to see more ass-kicking than I saw this time around. I loved the plot; I loved the character development. But I want to see some epic-level thrashings.
4.) Cold War Arms Race
One of the most interesting things about the Iron Man comic was that he represented America's best technology. He was the nuclear bomb of the comic book age. And you bet your bottom the Soviet Union had their own incarnations as well. Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo and the Unicorn all provide conflict for Tony as the Soviets tried to match and exceed the Iron Man design. I'd love to see Favreau somehow tackle these concepts in this post-Cold War era.
Previous Story
