Cruise as Iron Man?
Source: Empire Online by: Jim Law
Because the world needs more superhero movies, Tom Cruise has once again expressed his interest in playing the lead role in IRON MAN, a character that was also being looked at by Nicholas Cage. In the new issue of Empire Magazine, Cruise says he's still trying to work out a deal to portray billionaire Tony Stark who must wear an iron chest plate in order to protect his heart from a piece of shrapnel that he received in an explosion during battle in Vietnam. Stark likes his new duds so much that he builds an entire suit so his new found enjoyment of ass kicking is that much easier. Did I mention he's a drunk too? Here's what Tommy Boy has to say.
“He’s a fascinating character, but we’ve got to figure out how it’s going to work. And everyone is doing a Marvel character these days. How do we make that new, create something fresh where it doesn’t feel like, ‘Oh, here comes another superhero story’?”
According to Cinescape a representative from Marvel Films has alluded to not using the familiar red and gold suit that you see up top. Let me guess, they want a "much darker" version of the comic book. When is Hollywood going to learn that "much darker" means "much shittier" when it comes to messing around with icons of the comic book universe? The main reason these films are getting screen consideration is because of their popularity within loyal readers. Why take what they love and change it?
I thought Ozzy was Iron Man?
Tom Cruise is becoming a sore subject.
Personally, I'd like to see Tom GREEN as Iron Man.
poor guy.
kubrick really messed him up.
why is darker bad? the original Batman (Tim Burton's) was darker and it was excellent, while IMO, spiderman, was all "comic" like and it was horrible. (i know im in the minority on this)
then again, another superhero movie...is just completely bleh
(and im a cruise fan!)
I pretty much agree with you about spiderman prog. I love Rami and all but sometimes (fuck it, most of the time) staying too faithfull to the comic spells disaster.
Speaking of much darker, wasn't Tony Stark black? And whats up with the Kingpin being black in Daredevil? I'm all for equality, but why sacrifice the original story?
Tony Stark wasn't black. Whomever it was that operated War Machine was. I don't know what his name was, but I think he worked for Stark through some means.
Never really was into Iron Man.
And you forgot Lex LuTHOR in the Justice League and Superman cartoons.
Making the Kingpin black was like, a defeat for my race. Marvel is a bunch of traitors
David Hayter Rewriting New Line's Iron Man
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
X-Men and X2: X-Men United screenwriter David Hayter has signed on to rewrite Iron Man, New Line Cinema's adaptation of the Marvel Comics character, says The Hollywood Reporter. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar wrote the previous draft.
In the comic, Iron Man's real identity is that of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, who develops an armored suit that lets him fly and shoot repulsor rays. The comic debuted in the 1960s, and Iron Man's origin involved Stark being a prisoner of the Viet Cong. The comic evolved into Stark fighting spies, both political and industrial, while also battling alcoholism.
The film will reportedly reflect a modern world climate, as well as modern technological, political and societal trends
Cassavetes Pumped for 'Iron Man'
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Nick Cassavetes, who directed New Line Cinema's tearjerker hit "The Notebook," is in negotiations to direct "Iron Man," the studio's adaptation of the Marvel Comics character.
In the comic, Iron Man's real identity is that of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, who develops an armored suit that lets him fly and shoot "repulsor rays." The comic debuted in the 1960s, and Iron Man's origin involved Stark being a prisoner of the Viet Cong. The comic evolved into Stark fighting spies, both political and industrial, while also battling alcoholism.
The movie, written by David Hayter, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, will reflect modern technological, political and societal trends. Cassavetes, also a screenwriter, will do a polish.
Cassavetes, whose directorial work includes the emotionally charged, modestly budgeted features "John Q" and "She's So Lovely," does not have a resume that automatically suggests him as the helmer of a big-budget, effects-heavy comic book franchise.
But Marvel Studios chief Avi Arad, one of the producers, doesn't see him as an unusual choice.
"Do you remember what Bryan Singer did before 'X-Men'?" Arad asked, noting that Singer directed the character-based "Apt Pupil" before the hit super-hero film and its sequel.
"That was considered an odd choice. Sam Raimi directed 'A Simple Plan' and 'The Gift' before 'Spider-Man.' We have a good track record of getting directors that get the material. ('Iron Man') is a huge movie, with big action and incredible technology, but without understanding and loving Tony Stark, then all the money in the world isn't going to get you where you want to go. It all starts with the emotional mix."
Arad said many directors that would seem to be more obvious choices to helm an action movie were discounted because they didn't have a strong emotional take on the project.
Iron Man on Film
The armored Avenger goes Hollywood.
One of the many comic book movies currently in development is the big-screen version of Marvel's Iron Man. The project is set-up at New Line Cinema with Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook) attached to direct for producer Don Murphy (LXG, From Hell, Transformers). Here's an overview of the project's status.
"Being able to work with such an acclaimed writer/director as Nick Cassavetes to bring one of our pre-eminent super-hero franchises to the big screen is really special," Marvel Studios prexy and Iron Man producer Avi Arad said in a statement last November. "Nick grew up reading Iron Man and personally loves the character. He shares our vision of how to bring Iron Man to life in a way that will appeal to a mass audience as well as the core super-hero fan base. This deal with Nick marks the perfect way to launch our second big Marvel franchise with New Line, a studio that we have enjoyed a great relationship with in building the Blade character into a Hollywood heavyweight."
Iron Man, Arad added, "is a huge movie, with big action and incredible technology, but without understanding and loving Tony Stark, then all the money in the world isn't going to get you where you want to go. It all starts with the emotional mix."
The rumor mill has kicked into overdrive lately suggesting that the long-in-development hell pic may have suffered another setback with Cassavetes reportedly leaving the project. According to my trusty inside sources, there is some truth to these rumors but Cassavetes has not officially left Iron Man.
From what I've heard, his deal is in flux. Whether it's due to internal politics at New Line, salary or simply scheduling, I don't know and no one's talking (on the record, anyway). The studio had wanted Iron Man for a 2006 release but that possibility seems more remote now that we're a quarter of the way through 2005 and there's talk of the director jumping ship. We shall see ...
Iron Man has gone through a number of screenwriters, including Smallville's Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, but it was actor-turned-scribe David Hayter (X-Men, Watchmen, Black Widow) who penned the draft that finally got the project greenlit. Cassavetes is expected to polish the script further (should he still direct it).
The film's storyline will reportedly follow arms industrialist Tony Stark's moral awakening and his transformation into the titular superhero. Comic book characters we know for a fact are in the film are Stark's love interest and security chief Bethany Cabe and engineer/best friend Jim Rhodes (the future War Machine).
"The whole origin is completely different," Millar said in an interview last year. The film's Tony is "not really in touch with where his money comes from, unaware that his wealth lies from weapons, and that history comes back to haunt him. ... It's a great arc for a character to begin with, this selfish reckless playboy, that in the end becomes a hero."
While The Mandarin had been included in early drafts, Shellhead's arch-enemy was jettisoned from the current storyline (quite probably because he's so politically incorrect). Replacing him as Iron Man's nemesis in the film will be ... Tony's father, Howard.
Military industrialist Howard Stark is deceased in the comics but he'll be very much alive in the movie. While details of the father-son showdown are being kept top-secret, fans probably shouldn't expect to see Shellhead beating up an old man in a business suit. Secondary costumed baddies will likely be used as the main villain's cannon fodder.
There has been some concern, however, that Iron Man could suffer from the same plodding "father issues" that plagued the Hulk movie, considering Hayter also worked on that script. But it is precisely those "father issues" that are said to have appealed to Cassavetes, whose late dad John starred in The Dirty Dozen and Rosemary's Baby and directed such films as Faces.
As for casting, Nicolas Cage had long been interested in the project but ended up playing Ghost Rider instead. Leonardo DiCaprio was also rumored at one point. Tom Cruise expressed serious interest in the role ("He's a fascinating character," Cruise said in a 2004 interview) but that didn't pan out, either. That nevertheless hasn't stopped comic book artists from recently giving Tony Stark a Cruise-like resemblance. Bottom line: no one is attached to star yet.
Whether or not director Cassavetes is still aboard the film remains a matter of speculation. Should he drop out, there have been no reported replacements waiting in the wings. Iron Man fans like myself, however, remain hopeful that Shellhead will make it to the silver screen sooner rather than later.
i don't know anything about this Iron Man, but i like the idea of a drunk superhero.
Iron Blog
Favreau reaches out to fandom.
Actor-filmmaker Jon Favreau has started a blog at his official site at MySpace.com to provide fans with updates about his forthcoming Iron Man movie. The Iron Man Movie Group allows fans to post their thoughts on casting, the hero's armor, the special effects, the villains, pretty much whatever topic related to the film they desire.
In a posting at his blog, Favreau said, "Iron Man will indeed be my next movie. Marvel is distributing it through Paramount which, for those of you playing at home, is also the studio that is developing John Carter of Mars. That project is still a huge priority for me and I am still very much attached to it both as a director and producer."
"Iron Man is the first Marvel production under its new distribution arrangement," Favreau continued. "My hope is that this will be refelected in the quality of the movie. Their films are self-financed and, as a result, don't have to run the typical creative gauntlet of studio development. What Marvel says, goes. As far as specifics, it will be set in the present and, as you would probably expect, includes a version of the origin story."
As for the purpose of his Iron Man blog, Favreau said, "The internet is full of faulty info. I wanted to have at least one place where the facts would be correct."
Iron Man reportedly begins filming in early 2007.
Favreau Has More to Say About Iron Man
We just told you about Jon Favreau starting up a MySpace community for his upcoming Iron Man project. Apparently the guy is really excited about the film, because he doesn't seem to stop talking about it. He recently shared his thoughts on the character with ifMagazine, and the guy honestly seems to know something about the character, which is positive. He said it should be a bit easier setting the film in a "realistic" world because unlike some Marvel films, Iron Man largely created his own powers though smarts and science, instead of manifesting mutant abilities. He also said the "geopolitical factors" in the story make it a bit of a tightrope to walk, but he is confident in his ability to keep it safely a comic book movie without turning it into an issues movie. And he's excited for the costume, because he plans on using the original build early in the film and progressing to a fancier one later in the film.
Fav might have gotten a bit carried away when he called Iron Man "the most true to life comic book in the Marvel universe," but I'm still glad the guy is excited and energetic about the film.
Have Doubts About The 'Iron Man' Movie? Jon Favreau Wants To Hear Them
Source: MTV
Director reveals film details, takes suggestions from fans of the comic hero via MySpace.
Typically, the announcement of a big-budget blockbuster is followed by months (if not years) of avoidance. Stars, directors and producers dodge questions like jury summonses, fearing that they could reveal fan-angering character updates, in-development plot points, or build the hype to a fever pitch too early.
Jon Favreau is refusing to play that game.
The star of "Swingers" and director of "Elf" and "Zathura" was recently handed the keys to the next great superhero franchise, a highly anticipated adaptation of the five-decades-strong "Iron Man" comic series. Now a few weeks into his new gig, the lifelong comics fan is battling questions with a weapon that even Tony Stark might hesitate to unleash: honesty.
"The questions are coming on the Internet," a grinning Favreau reported this weekend. "I've got a MySpace group set up just to discuss the movie, so I welcome the input."
Favreau is making himself available to diehard fans of the gold-and-red superhero, who will step in front of a movie camera for the first time at the beginning of next year.
"It's the first movie Marvel is self-financing," he said of a new deal that frees the makers of the "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" movies from studio control. "We're set to come out in the summer of '08, and we'll start shooting in January."
Favreau insisted that he's eager to construct his movie using input from the fans — because he is one himself.
"I remember watching the Iron Man cartoons when I was younger," Favreau revealed. "I remember reading the origin stories and some of the Silver Age stuff, and I read 'The Avengers' — 'The Defenders' and then 'The Avengers,' and that sort of brought me into 'Iron Man.' "
"It was later when [Marvel Studios CEO] Avi [Arad] approached me to work on this and we discussed [the history of the character]," he continued. "And then I did a lot more research, and really learned everything that has happened in the last 40 years."
Created in 1963 as an anti-communist hero, Iron Man originally played off national defense concerns and technological advancement themes of that period. The hero's alter ego is (with the exception of occasional fill-ins) Tony Stark, an American industrialist billionaire living out a Bruce Wayne-type life of privilege. His virtually impenetrable armor allows him to soar through the air, possess superhuman strength and unleash everything from repulsor beams to magnetic fields and holograms. Iron Man's suit has constantly changed with the times, a technological evolution Favreau is making plans to portray.
"We're gonna have it take place in the present day, but there will be an origin story that has the old, gray Iron Man suit; eventually it will progress into more of the modern look," Favreau said. "That's the fun of doing the first one."
Favreau is clearly having plenty of fun putting the project together. Recently on his MySpace page, the director posted the film's "first preliminary image." It was a stick-figure sketch by his 4-year-old son, Max.
Acknowledging the darkness of films like "Batman Begins," the director said that Iron Man can get gritty with the best of them. Indeed, Tony Stark's struggles have included alcoholism, bankruptcy and even homelessness — themes he'd likely tackle in sequels.
"The alcoholism doesn't come into play until later on in the story of Iron Man," he said. "[The comic] started off in the '60s, where it was about him as a successful manufacturer who developed this suit. Then, later, it spins off into that story about him fighting against himself. I think we're going to lay the groundwork for it, but the first one's going to explore him taking on this alter ego of Iron Man, and developing the suit, and what happens politically within the Stark Corporation."
Mentioning an eventual "Iron Man 2," Favreau said that actor playing Tony Stark for his franchise is unlikely to be a major star (Tom Cruise was briefly attached to the role years ago). Instead, the director hopes to announce his discovery of a relative unknown from the Brandon Routh ("Superman Returns") mold later this year.
"What's nice is that those movies don't require an expensive star; Iron Man's the star, the superhero is the star," the director insisted. "The success of 'X-Men' and 'Spider-Man' without being star-driven pieces reassures [executives] that the film does have an upside commercially."
"I don't know that a movie like 'Daredevil' did better for having Ben Affleck then 'Spider-Man' did having Tobey Maguire, who was a relative unknown at the time," Favreau said, citing the Man With No Fear dud that he co-starred in alongside Affleck. "It gives you a little bit of latitude, because there's a lot of money that goes into getting that face on the poster."
Instead, the director (who reunites with friend Vince Vaughn in next month's "The Break Up") said he'd rather take those Affleck-level dollars and selectively distribute them on the look of his film. "I'm of a generation of director that came up understanding special effects," he insisted. "I don't throw the same amount of money [around] as some of the older generation directors who are just learning about it. There's a way to be scrappy, is what I'm trying to say. There's a way to get a lot for your money nowadays. There are a lot of talented people in that field, so I'm not concerned about it."
In the months to come, Jon Favreau will be putting those carefully managed Marvel dollars toward a solid script, some young stars and an "Iron Man" movie out to launch the next great superhero franchise. "It's really been a wonderful experience working on the script, and we're going to start talking about actors soon," Favreau added.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, concerns or comments about the details you read, this is one Hollywood star who is refreshingly eager to hear them. "I'm on MySpace," he offered with a broad smile. "Just search for 'Iron Man Movie Group' and I'm on there, answering questions."
Just as long as keeps his grubby mitts off Plastic Man... that one's mine.
'Iron Man' attracts May date
Following in the footsteps of such comic book film bows as "Spider-Man" and "X2: X-Men United," Marvel armored avenger "Iron Man" is staking out an early May release date.
The Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment film is scheduled to open May 2, 2008, the studio said Thursday. Directed by Jon Favreau, the project marks the first motion picture to be produced by Marvel under its alliance with the studio.
"Iron Man," based on the best-selling comic book character, is the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment and also marks the first production under former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad's newly launched production company, Avi Arad Prods.
The film is expected to be financed through Marvel's $525 million revolving film-financing facility.
Iron Man Villain Confirmed!!
Source: Superhero Hype!
Iron Man director Jon Favreau confirmed at the San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday that the villain in the movie will be fan-favorite Mandarin!
The Mandarin is one of the world's greatest scientific geniuses who is seeking world domination. Although The Mandarin has no superhuman powers, he is a superb athlete with tremendous skill in the various martial arts. For weapons, he uses ten rings he wears on his fingers that respond to his mental commands.
Marvel Studios has set a May 2, 2008 release date for Iron Man. Paramount Pictures will distribute the film.
The Iron Man Poster From Comic-Con
Source: Superhero Hype!
A user at director Jon Favreau's Iron Man movie Blog has put up a good version of the poster that was handed out at the Marvel presentation at Comic-Con on Saturday. Favreau said that the armor in the pic was not the film's final design.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aintitcool.com%2Fimages2006%2FCCIronManPoster.jpg&hash=5dc0181a34d67b66ac2d67d5537f56b18db05a3a)
Downey in 'Iron' mask for Marvel
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Robert Downey Jr. is suiting up to star in "Iron Man," the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment. Jon Favreau is directing the movie, which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Downey will portray Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Using his intelligence and ingenuity, Stark instead builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. Upon his return to the U.S., he uncovers a plot with global implications and must don his armor and protect the world.
The comic debuted in the 1960s, and Iron Man's origin involved Stark being a prisoner of the Viet Cong.
The movie version, written by Art Marcum & Matt Holloway and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby, will be set in today's geopolitical climate.
Marvel president of production Kevin Feige said the filmmakers looked for the best actor to embody the character.
"The Marvel characters are not just about how high they jump or how fast they fly, they're about their character flaws," Feige said. "They're about their inner demons. They're about the struggles that they go through between being a man and being a hero."
Downey worked hard to get the role, getting in shape and even growing a goatee like the one Stark sports in the comic books.
"In every casting announcement we've done, people in their mind's eye have their own view of it and let us know about it. We're used to it," Feige said. "The point is, we looked at everybody, and we found the best person for the role. It's as confident a casting move as we've ever done. The proof will be in the pudding, but he is Tony Stark."
The $100 million-plus-budgeted movie will be produced by Feige and Avi Arad. Executive producers are Michael Helfant, Ari Arad, Louis D'Esposito, Peter Billingsley and Favreau.
Marvel is now casting all supporting roles. Filming is slated to begin in February in Los Angeles.
yep, now i'm interested.
Does Famke Janssen love Iron Man
Source: Moviehole
Director Jon Favreau is said to be chatting to his good friend (and "Made" and "Love & Sex" co-star) Famke Janssen about co-starring in his "Iron Man" movie.
According to CanMag.com, Favreau wants Janssen (well known for her role in another comic-to-film series, "X-Men") to play the love interest of Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark.
"Last we heard, Tony Stark's love interest in the film was going to be the character Bethany Cabe", says a scooper for the site. "Cabe meets Stark at a convention in New York City and their relationship quickly becomes romantic. Cabe would later help Stark beat his alcoholism. Though she doesn't know it at first, Cabe figures out that Iron Man is not only Stark's bodyguard, but Stark himself."
Made a couple of calls about this today, and nobody's talking.... So no confirmation, but no flat-out denials either. Considering Janssen's friendship with Favreau, and the fact that she's worked with Avi Arad and Marvel on the "X-Men" series, it's a possibility.
Howard flying to 'Iron Man'
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Terrence Howard is joining the cast of Marvel's "Iron Man," in which he will play Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes, the best friend of Tony Stark, the billionaire industrialist who becomes the superhero known as Iron Man.
As Rhodes, Howard will appear as a military pilot who assists Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Jon Favreau is directing the film.
"The richness of the role and complexity of the character seemed to mesh perfectly with the type of passion, energy and emotion that Howard brings to all of his projects," Marvel Studios president of production Kevin Feige said.
Filming is scheduled to begin in February in Los Angeles, with the movie's release, through Paramount Pictures, slated for May 2, 2008. "Iron Man" will be produced by Avi Arad and Feige. Executive producers are Michael Helfant, Arad, Favreau, Louis D'Esposito and Peter Billingsley.
Howard, who earned an Academy Award nomination for best actor for his performance in last year's "Hustle & Flow," also starred in the Oscar-winning "Crash." He recently completed production on "The Brave One" with Jodie Foster and is shooting "Spring Break in Bosnia" with Richard Gere. His credits include "Idlewild," "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " and "Four Brothers."
Robert Downey Jr. Talks Iron Man
Source: ComingSoon
In the new indie drama Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, Robert Downey Jr. is covered from head to toe in luscious fur, but when ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! spoke to Downey Jr. about the movie, we were more interested in another suit he will be wearing soon, one of armor in Jon Favreau's Iron Man.
"The suit for 'Iron Man' is so complex and does so much stuff that except for once or twice or from the chest up, I'm not required to do all that much," Downey Jr. told us when asked if he'd been fitted for the armor yet. "What I will do is a lot of motion capture so that the movement isn't just some random stunt guy. A lot of time I look at CGI and I'm like 'What's the reference for this? This looks like a cartoon reference not a person." So I said I want to do all the motion capture work, which is like eight months after finishing shooting, but as much as it as I can do, I will."
"I went after it like a greyhound after a rabbit," he said when asked whether Favreau approached him or whether he went after the part. "I loved Marvel and 'Iron Man' to me is the goods. To tell you the God's honest truth, I'd thrown them all away for Sgt. Rock, because I really grew up on Hogan's Heroes, Sgt. Rock. I'm still addicted to the History Channel and the Military Channel is my thing, but Tony's the best because I could never be Sgt. Rock. He's a little bigger and more butch and has a cigar, I don't see it. Tony's a perfect fit for me, and if I was ever going to do this type of thing, I thought, you know, like early '40's. Great, because when you hang up your 'macho hat' and start directing or doing other stuff, it's not an embarrassment to be doing this in your late '40s still if we wind up doing three of them."
He also said that there would be some major casting announcements soon including Tony Stark's secretary Pepper Potts and one other, but he couldn't let the cat out of the bag despite being excited about the chance to work with the actors.
Iron Maiden
Who might be Tony Stark's leading lady?
With the big-screen version of Marvel Comics' Iron Man gearing up for principal photography, the search has been underway for an actress to play Pepper Potts, the secretary/love interest of Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.).
Director Jon Favreau recently asked for fans' casting suggestions on his MySpace blog but now, according to LatinoReview.com, the helmer may have picked his Pepper.
The site claims that Red Eye and Wedding Crashers actress Rachel McAdams is Favreau's choice to play the part. Her credits also include The Notebook, The Family Stone, Mean Girls and The Hot Chick.
Latino Review adds that they are "not saying that (McAdams) is going to take the part, merely saying that she is their top choice."
The Iron Man cast also includes Oscar nominee Terrence Howard as Stark's best friend, pilot Jim Rhodes.
Paramount-based Iron Man begins filming in L.A. this February for a May 2, 2008 release. The screenplay was penned by Art Markum, Hawk Otsby, Mark Fergus and Matt Hollaway.
I'll give Favreau some credit; a year ago I couldn't have given less of a crap about an Iron Man movie, but with Robert Downey Jr, Terrence Howard, and Rachel McAdams' (if she takes it) names lighting up the marquee, I'm getting there.
Paltrow is 'Iron' clad for Marvel
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow has joined the cast of "Iron Man," the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment. Jon Favreau is directing the movie, distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Paltrow joins Robert Downey Jr. -- who plays armor-clad superhero Iron Man and his alter ego, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark -- and Terrence Howard, who will play Stark's best friend Rhodey.
Paltrow will play Stark's personal assistant Virginia "Pepper" Potts, one of the few people in Stark's life who can go toe-to-toe with him and who occasionally serves as his conscience. The pair also share a secret attraction to each other.
"We've been casting for a long time, and we really took our time in finding the perfect person," Marvel president of production Kevin Feige said. "We've talked to our prototype for Pepper, and we kept mentioning 'someone like Gwyneth Paltrow,' and it was relatively recently that it came to our attention that maybe we should go to Gwyneth. Her representatives let us know that she wanted to do a movie like this; a few phone calls later from all parties involved, and over the weekend it happened.
"It happens rarely in this business where you get exactly who you wanted and where it happens very quickly," Feige said. "We have a lot of actors and filmmakers who are very happy, myself right among them."
Production is scheduled to begin in March in Los Angeles.
The movie will be produced by Avi Arad and Feige. Executive producing are Ari Arad, Peter Billingsley, Louis D'Esposito, Favreau and Michael Helfant.
Paltrow, who won an Oscar for her work in "Shakespeare in Love," most recently appeared in "Running With Scissors." Her credits include "Infamous" and "Proof." She is repped by CAA and Brillstein-Grey.
Never mind.
Gwyneth Talks Iron Man
Paltrow on playing Pepper Potts.
For some, the casting of Oscar-winning "serious" actress Gwyneth Paltrow in Paramount's Iron Man movie seemed curious. Now the Shakespeare in Love actress has explained why she went from indies and Oscar bait films to a big-screen version of a Marvel Comics superhero.
"I play Pepper Potts, who's Iron Man's assistant. They have a very charged dynamic," Paltrow told Entertainment Weekly. As for why she chose to do this film, the actress explained, "I hadn't worked in a long time, I was really committed to being home. Then I finally just agreed to do this movie Iron Man. I reached a place in my life where I thought, 'It's okay that I have a passion for something besides my family.' I love making films. If I do one thing that makes me fulfilled, then I'm a more interesting woman for my children. And then I got this call, and I thought, I love Jon Favreau [who's directing Iron Man]. And the cast was so good. This feels right to me."
She continued, "You know why? Because of the people involved. It had nothing to do with the size of the budget. It was like, if I got a call that there's a six-million-dollar movie, and these are the people, I'd do it. I've always wanted to work with Robert Downey Jr. He's a genius, and I had never been asked to do a film with him before. I'm really excited that it's Iron Man because I've never done anything like it. I'm really thrilled."
Paltrow jokingly added that her preparation for the movie will simply entail exercise. Iron Man begins filming in March.
she was in sky captain. and had that cameo in austin powers 3. i dont find this all that surprising.
also her character in Sky Captain was named Polly Perkins. it's like she's got a monopoly on all the PP ppl.
Bridges linked to Marvel's 'Iron Man'
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Jeff Bridges has joined the cast of "Iron Man," the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment. Jon Favreau is directing the movie, which Paramount Pictures will distribute.
Robert Downey Jr. stars as armor-clad superhero Iron Man and his alter ego, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark. Bridges will portray a confidant and close business associate of Stark, a longtime employee at defense contractor Stark Industries who plays a major role in shaping Stark's life.
"We've been talking to Jeff for long time," Marvel's president of production Kevin Feige said. "He's excited about doing a movie like this, and we're excited to have him in this particular role. There are many facets to this character which I can't discuss, but looking at the spectrum of all of Jeff's roles, this fits in nicely with the man who played 'Starman,' 'Tucker,' 'Big Lebowski' with a little bit 'Tron' thrown in.
"This rounds out our ensemble, and I think it's one of the strongest casts ever assembled for one of our films."
Bridges' boarding marks the fourth Academy Award-recognized actor signed on for the "Iron Man" cast, which in addition to Oscar nominee Downey includes nominee Terrence Howard and Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow. Bridges, a four-time Oscar nominee, will be seen in "A Dog Year" and has a voice role in the animated film "Surf's Up."
Filming on "Iron Man" is scheduled to begin in March in Los Angeles with a planned release date of May 2, 2008.
HEAVY BOOTS OF LEAD
IGN has the first picture of the grey suit from Iron Man. In case you don't know the story, this is not how Iron Man will look the whole film: at the beginning he is forced to make an armor out of spare parts and this is what he comes up with. Later he creates a sleeker and, I assume, red and gold armor.
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:bravo:
reminds me of
Junkman
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(the guy at the front)
+
Glitch Bob
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hahah, junkman and glitch bob.. make that movie!
Quote from: MacGuffin on April 11, 2007, 08:28:48 PM
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First look: Downey forges a bond with 'Iron Man' role
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — Robert Downey Jr. is hardly the obvious choice to play an iconic crime fighter.
After all, this is the guy who became a poster boy for Hollywood excess, serving a year in prison on drug and alcohol-related charges and checking in and out of rehab like it was the Four Seasons.
But it is exactly that past, says director Jon Favreau (Elf), that makes Downey the only choice to play playboy millionaire and recovering alcoholic Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, the comic-book superhero who hits multiplexes next year.
"We didn't want to just go with a safe choice," Favreau says from the set of the film, due in theaters May 2, 2008. "The best and worst moments of Robert's life have been in the public eye. He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That's Tony Stark. Robert brings a depth that goes beyond a comic-book character who is having trouble in high school, or can't get the girl. Plus, he's simply one of the best actors around."
For his part, Downey is trying to become an iron man. At 42, he lifts weights five days a week and practices martial arts to get in shape to play the hard-bodied Stark, an arms manufacturer who uses his ultimate weapon, a jet-powered, missile-launching suit of armor, to fight evil.
More important, Downey says, he's been working on his emotional stamina since coming out of rehab in 2002. His supporting roles in Good Night, and Good Luck and Zodiac have earned critical raves.
And anchoring a big-budget summer film such as Iron Man could go a long way toward cementing that return.
"I'm more diligent than I used to be," Downey says. "I want to show Jon he was right to have faith in me. Whatever questions might have arisen about my life weren't issues with him."
Nor with many fans, says Rob Morley of Comics2Film.com.
"Fans need the heart of the comic to be in" the movie, he says. "Tony Stark had a substance abuse problem. He was built up and torn down many times. I think when people heard Robert Downey was going to play the part, there was actually a big relief."
Downey knows a thing or two about comics, and he can get downright geeky when discussing them. He prefers Marvel to D.C. comics. He liked Iron Man, "but mainly through his appearance with Avengers." His favorite early heroes, he says, were the relatively obscure Sgt. Rock and Sgt. Fury.
It wasn't until Downey matured that he came to appreciate the man in the iron suit.
"He struggles with his lifestyle, he struggles with the drinking," Downey says of Stark. "He faces the same issues a lot of people do."
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Exclusive: This is ''Iron Man''
Sneak a peek at the new robo-suit that will turn Robert Downey Jr. into a comic-book legend in the May 2008 movie
Source: Entertainment Weekly
Iron Man is the latest Marvel Comics superhero to jump from splash page to big screen. (The film is due May 2008.) Director Jon Favreau (Elf ) began shooting in March with star Robert Downey Jr. — in his first comic-book role — as the man inside the cybernetic Mark III suit (pictured) and Gwyneth Paltrow as his trusted assistant. In the film, Downey plays Tony Stark, a playboy industrialist who decides to don high-tech armor to fight baddies after suffering a life-threatening heart injury in war-torn Afghanistan. ''This is a decidedly adult superhero story,'' says Favreau. (Fanboy FYI: Look for Stark's legendary drinking problem to pop up in possible sequels.)
Faithful to the comics and constructed by Oscar-winning F/X maestro Stan Winston, the Iron Man togs — a far cry from Stark's normal black-tie attire — are robo-cool but make for restrictive, sweaty duds. ''Robert was very bullish on wearing the suit whenever possible,'' says Favreau of his star, who bulked up for the role. ''Now I don't know if he's such a fan of that idea.''
i like the first suit better but that's pretty amazing. it looks skin tight. also it would be super useful to have a light in your palm. good call, Iron Man!
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that looks like an all-new cast of 24.
This will be good.
palthrow doesn't even look annoying!
Quote from: A Matter Of Chance on June 24, 2007, 04:21:59 PM
palthrow doesn't even look annoying!
Just wait until you have to listen to her.
New Iron Man Photo
Entertainment Weekly has published this new photo from Iron Man featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. The Jon Favreau-directed film, also starring Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges, opens on May 2.
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Confirmed: Hilary Swank Will Appear In 'Iron Man'
Source: MTV
Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner are just a few actresses who've fallen short in superhero movies over the last few years. But now, could a million-dollar baby be in training to take on another underdog battle?
Marvel Studios mega-producer Avi Arad confirmed to us for the first time over the weekend that 2-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank filmed some top-secret moments for "Iron Man," the highly-anticipated superhero flick due in theaters next May. The news raises eyebrows not only because it isn't the type of film Swank normally appears in, but also because it could be assumed that her role would lay the groundwork for a future, bigger Marvel appearance. The rumor mill first began circulating Swank's name after director Jon Favreau capitalized the "s" in "Swank" in a MySpace blog post.
"How do you know [about that]?," a stunned Arad replied when asked about Swank. After a few beats, he admitted: "It's a cameo."
Following along the lines of secret "Iron Man" actors, the man behind the "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" films dodged a question about Samuel L. Jackson's foreshadowing scenes as Nick Fury, saying "I can't talk about that."
Clearly a bit frustrated, Arad then amended himself. "The Sam thing was supposed to be the biggest secret of them all," he shrugged. "It's amazing how it got out."
Nevertheless, the existence of Jackson's hard-boiled superspy reveals a newfound willingness by Marvel to begin mimicking the way its comics mix different characters into each other's storylines on a regular basis.
"It's because now we have control over the properties," Arad explained, citing the new era of Marvel funding such upcoming flicks as "Iron Man," "Nick Fury" and "Captain America," after a decade of holding hands with studios like Sony for Spider-Man or Fox for The Fantastic Four. "Now you can mix and match. It used to be different studios having different characters."
"You try and get three major studios to sit together and cross [promote]," he laughed. It's too tough."
On the Spider-Man front, Arad (who is shifting gears considerably with August 3rd's "Bratz: The Movie") gave us this update: "We're starting on our journey for number 4. We're just at the beginning of the process, feeling it, and feeling where we want to go."
Based on Arad's comments, however, fans might find it hard to not feel a bit speculative as to why a double-Oscar winning A-list actress would make a cameo in a superhero movie. Since "Iron Man" is laying the groundwork for the "Nick Fury" movie that Marvel hopes to begin filming relatively soon, one theory is that Swank will be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent alongside Sam the man.
But just as probable, it seems, is speculation that Swank might be setting herself up for a starring superhero flick down the line. And if there's one thing we've learned from her last award-winning performance, it's that she certainly has the physique to pull it off.
The participation of Sam Jackson just crashed my hopes of this film being any good.
Quote from: Stefen on July 23, 2007, 10:02:40 PM
The participation of Sam Jackson just crashed my hopes of this film being any good.
They actually draw the character as Sam Jackson in the Ultimates comics. Have been for years.
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"the misunderstood genius of brett ratner" and "the shocking story of hitler's favourite director" must be connected somehow.
Quote from: RegularKarate on July 24, 2007, 03:56:01 PM
Quote from: Stefen on July 23, 2007, 10:02:40 PM
The participation of Sam Jackson just crashed my hopes of this film being any good.
They actually draw the character as Sam Jackson in the Ultimates comics. Have been for years.
A few years ago Sam Jackson was still respected and making good career choices.
These days? Not so much. And sadly, that's the reason I can see Sam Jackson taking the role "Shit, the script was horrible, but they drew me as the character! I'm IN!"
Comic-Con Footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVRQjCG8tn4
hey, jon's skinny again....
yup.
It looks cool. I can't believe they used that sabbath song.
I can't believe they didn't use Ozzy's "I am... Iron Man" when they first showed the suit.
Oh well, there's still plenty of time for a hip marketing exec to put in that note for the tailer edit.
Teaser Trailer here. (http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/)
Paramount grounds 'Iron Man'
Superhero flies in trailer but won't in film
Source: Variety
The trailer for Paramount's May tentpole "Iron Man" debuted last week, generating buzz among superhero fans.
The trailer features a generous helping of Robert Downey Jr. as sardonic arms dealer turned armored-warrior Tony Stark, glimpses of his armor and an impressive sequence where Iron Man flies, outracing fighter jets.
The sequence had to generate buzz, since that's the only reason it exists. It won't be in the movie. In fact, it wasn't even made for the movie.
A spokesman for Industrial Light & Magicconfirms that the flying Iron Man shots are not "finals" (completed, delivered visual effects) and were only made for the film's Comic-Con promo reel.
There's a tradition of creating material just for the trailer: Savvy scribes have long known that some scenes they write are likely to be in the trailer but not make it into the final cut.
One wag says he's often asked to write what he calls the "So Far" scene, where the lead might tell his best buddy, "So far, I've built a suit of armor that makes me a superhero, but I'm spending so much time fighting crime my girlfriend thinks I'm cheating on her."
Development execs like such scenes: They're useful in the trailer and superfluous in the film. But advance promotional shots are a bigger headache for visual f/x companies. Trailers have to go out months ahead of the f/x delivery date, at a time when the shop may still be in the midst of critical R&D. Temp effects and promotional shots eat up resources and time. And they're nitpicked by millions at a point when f/x pros might prefer not to be showing anything to anyone outside the office.
But they do grab fans' attention, as the "Iron Man" teaser did. So look for more stunning visuals in tentpole trailers to come.
Just don't count on them being in the film.
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If he turns his head to profile, it's the Transformers poster.
International Trailer here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYZ3954lqag)
i miss gwyneth.
is that allowed?
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No complaints about the suit.
so he must be flying in the movie, despite the report, if it was in two trailers right?
right?
Superbowl Ad here. (http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/)
New Trailer here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hx6TEqrzHU)
Despite all the awful musical choices, This looks freakin' AWESOME. I have high hopes. This is going to be FUN.
agreed. hahah i liked the music.
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Now that's a DVD cover. The second one in particular rips off Star Wars.
this isn't very good but it's not often i get to see a movie early so i feel i should say something...
minor spoils
iron man is a boring superhero by default because of what drives his incentive. The character is missing that evocative mental conflict that sets good superheros (hulk/batman/spidey) apart from the rest. he's just some rich, naive genius who's motivations come after being held captive in a bunker in afghanistan and discovering that his company has been selling weapons to the "enemy" under his nose. so he builds a motherfukin badass suit and starts stirring things up (fuck yea!). basically though stark IS robert downey jr. and that's the only memorable thing about him.
oh and the movie thinks it's clever by hinting at cliches that it doesnt conforms to - the end being the best and only memorable moment. most of the time though it's annoying and becomes predictable.
ive waisted enough time writing about this. it's decent entertainment. it's better than transformers at least.
Sure as of right now it's the best reviewed superhero movie of all time over at RT but there is still one film critic who has not weighed in and his is the only opinion that matters to me...what say you, Tony Stark?
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Wanna get drunk and see it this weekend so we can judge it ourselves?
Empty-headed and thoroughly entertaining.
It might be a sad reminder of how '08 is shaping up so far, cinematically, but this was the most enjoyable thing I've seen at the multiplex released in the last five months.
Like almost all big-budgeted extravaganzas, the action scenes are pretty much doled out as act breaks, one every forty minutes. The only difference is that what happened in between didn't bore me to tears.
Matthew Libatique was the cinematographer on this. Libatique is up there with Harris Savides and Christopher Doyle, as far as cinematographers who bring a vital and memorable visual stamp to a project. Communicating the directors vision while delivering images that are, also, completely their own. Though, this time, I couldn't really tell you what he brought to this project than any other hired hand would have. If you're gonna hire the best, you might as well let it show.
yeah this is overrated. appart from the cool downey performance there is nothing here except a bunch of cliches, common places and predictable plot points. it is visually boring, the musical choices are lame, and every supporting actors talent is wasted.
and it has like ten thousand commercials in it.
Quote from: Alexandro on May 06, 2008, 01:06:03 AM
and it has like ten thousand commercials in it.
I'll bet you think billionaires don't eat Burger King. I weep for you.
i think that.
gwyneth should have cooked it for him.
I enjoyed that Favs was the one who had to parade the Burger King bag right in front of the camera. If directors are going to be big enough pussies to allow product placement that makes no sense in context of the character, they should have to personally hold that product in front of the camera. Way to take one for the team...THAT was so money.
how did it make no sense in context of the character? he was held captive for 3 months. he SAID all he wanted was an American cheeseburger and a press conference. what did you want him to get? The Ivy to go???
is it weird that pepper and tony stark never kiss?
Quote from: pozer on May 07, 2008, 11:53:44 AM
how did it make no sense in context of the character? he was held captive for 3 months. he SAID all he wanted was an American cheeseburger and a press conference. what did you want him to get? The Ivy to go???
If he had gotten The Ivy to go I guarantee I would have been the only person in the theatre thinking, "fuck, they nailed it."
Saw this last night. OK, so it was mindless fun, and maybe only because I wasn't expecting too much did I give it the benefit of the doubt. There were horrible scenes and horrible dialogue. Horrible music. Horrible pacing. This last one seems to be a trend in action movies these days, especially comic book-based action movies, so I guess I can't exactly fault this one in particular for it, but it bothers me when it just feels like a collection of scenes rather than a complete and logical story that flows. Obediah's confession on the red carpet and the Pepper-as-love-interest storyline both felt like they happened too soon.
The suit was awesome, though. And Robert Downey, Jr. was charming.
I'm surprised that no one here seemed to really like this all that much. I thought it was really great. He should have gone to in n out though.
I thought this was really fun. Pretty good start to a superhero franchise, and pretty well-paced in my opinion. I don't really get all the complaints about the dialogue... it's a superhero movie, not the crime drama of the year. It's supposed to be cheesy, to a degree, and it is, but Robert Downey Jr has a really good personality for delivery of these lines with enough irony and humor to make it seem more clever than it probably is. I'm not the biggest (or even smallest) fan of Gwyneth Paltrow, but she could have been worse.
The first half was a lot better than the second half, only because I could predict everything that was going to happen. I am not the kind of person who can usually predict the endings of movies, but for this one, I could. However, it was forgivable because it had to set up the start of the franchise, and the most obvious obstacle is the corrupt false father figure, in this case, Obediah "The Dude" Stane. I expect the next movies to be better, and I hope that Samuel L Jackson is more interesting than he's been lately.
I really enjoyed it... it was fun!
Quote from: shnorff on May 07, 2008, 04:43:27 PM
is it weird that pepper and tony stark never kiss?
is it weird how iron man doesn't give a heartfelt speech at the end on that podium? or that t. howard didn't get into that spear suit to fuck up the ending? not really.
Quote from: brockly on April 30, 2008, 10:02:53 PM
the movie thinks it's clever by hinting at cliches that it doesnt conforms to
What a fucking great time. Right before going into the movie, I got some terrible family news and this really raised my spirits. Parts felt hollow and I really didn't get an emotional connection but I wasn't expecting one. RD Jr is fantastic but I already knew that going in.
I really forgot how beautiful Paltrow really is, that blue dress was intense.
Batman Begins has set the standard for super-hero movies. It's not perfect; one big weakness (perhaps an over-reaction because it feels last minute and unnecessary) is the Wayne Tower, water-board cutaways explaining if x reaches y then Gotham = kaboom. Iron Man never made a mistake like that because it seemed to have learned every lesson from it's superhero predecessors in 'what not to do'. Unfortunately it never really built on these lessons by not taking any risks. As a result it lacked surprises and ended with a boring "finale".
I really enjoyed watching Tony Stark become a self-made, iron man. The film was well thought out, entertaining and felt like it was going somewhere until Obadiah's reveal in Afghanistan. Now, I'd always wondered what the third act was going to be. After seeing the trailers, I could recognise the 'origins' portions but could see nothing of his first enemy or challenge. Obadiah just wasn't given sufficient meaning (beyond being the "great betrayer") to feel like being anything other than the fall guy for the obligatory final battle. Suddenly, I'm hearing Jeff Bridges shout speech bubbles from the PA system of a huge armoured suit and wondering what the hell happened. Super heroes are meant to learn something about themselves from their enemies, aren't they? It's so frustrating for a film to squander its hard work for such a conventional, boring ending. It just didn't need it to be entertaining.
I've had this wrapped in plastic for the last fourteen years:
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I really wanted Terrence Howard to put on that suit.
I have no desire to see this again, however, I want the sequel to come out next week. If I have to wait four years for War Machine then I'm afraid I'm going to lose interest. I wanted an iron man movie to come out when I was nine. I'm twenty-three now.
blandest movie i've seen in a while. liked stark's first "i need to do something good!" attack as iron man and paltrow running away from giant robot jeff bridges. what the fuck was terrence howard doing in this movie?
Quote from: samsong on May 14, 2008, 06:34:36 PMwhat the fuck was terrence howard doing in this movie?
spoils
he was there to make you really want him put on that suit.
he was being completely forgettable as he has been in everything since hustle & flow. and getting a paycheck.
Saw it yesterday. Really enjoyed it.
This may be my favorite super hero movie ever. I say this with almost zero respect to the comic book franchise in general. When I think of super hero movies now, I have to take Batman as the most cultured pick for best of the best. Batman Begins is enjoyable but not very good to me. It's seriousness and over explanation of the origins of Batman in hopes to be dramatic is its downfall. It doesn't create a visionary idea of Batman in mythical Gotham, but just a lukewarm drama instead. Iron Man wonderfully exists in the other realm. It's total lack of seriousness is great.
First off, Iron Man is a genre movie. Almost every part of the film has recognizable components of its genre. I never believed the film would be a re-imagination of the standard, but I hoped it would be good. Favreau makes it good by jamming the film with as much humor as possible. He takes the genesis of what made Swingers and Made good and inflicts it in Iron Man. Both films were consistently funny, but funny in a way that was dependent upon the personality of the characters. Robert Downey Jr. makes this film what it is. I saw it a second time and noticed even more smaller jokes because a lot of the humor is based on Downey's performance and his physical mannerisms.
A lot of the characters are stock, but the banter in the scenes is enjoyable. The extent of Downey's exuberance makes a scene last normally a little longer and allow for more character in play. It means richer characterization. I use that term loosely because this is a fluff super hero movie. I don't understand a lot of the criticism because the movie is what it is. You either enjoy the formula or you don't. I think the new Batman film gave people the bad idea that a super hero movie should be something more, but I prefer a super hero movie making only making changes to up its ante of entertainment. If I want to watch a drama I'll watch a drama. It feels too nerdy to take Batman's idea of drama really that serious. I'll keep Iron Man as it's more enjoyable counterpart.
I liked it, there were a couple of cringe worthy moments dialogue wise, the action was good and the first hour which has little action was truly wonderful, when Stark returns from his kidnapping it went down the hill but not much, the fx were top notch, unlike Indy which makes Transformers look like the best action movie ever made (fx and story wise).
Best summer movie so far (till TDK is released).
GT, I'm actually really curious if you liked or not Indy. (post in the actual thread if you've seen it)
Quote from: Fernando on June 04, 2008, 11:26:33 AM
GT, I'm actually really curious if you liked or not Indy. (post in the actual thread if you've seen it)
Actually decided to skip it because of how bad reviews on here were.
Smart move.
because it's just not fun to hate a movie if you can't argue about it with somebody who liked it.
Quote from: modage on June 04, 2008, 05:33:23 PM
because it's just not fun to hate a movie if you can't argue about it with somebody who liked it.
The bad assumptions never stop with you, huh?
Quote from: modage on June 04, 2008, 05:33:23 PM
because it's just not fun to hate a movie if you can't argue about it with somebody who liked it.
haha, that's funny. i personally enjoy a lot more the conversation when i'm the hater. i don't mind to admit it, it's delicious.
I can't really trust anyone who liked this movie. He builds a mother fucking suit for the entire movie. Is that really a fucking story? And Gwyneth Paltrow sends women back to Seneca Falls.
Christian Bale spends the entire movie of Batman Begins building a batcave, batmobile and batsuit. Do you just like super hero movies that have more accessories considered?
No, he doesn't. There is an actual plot unfolding in his origin story. The hardware is secondary to the storyline going on in Batman Begins. Iron Man is a 45-minute suit-building montage with comic relief from a robot. The hardware in Batman comes out of the character, whereas Iron Man is a fucking hypocrite because he suit is nothing but a weapon.
Quote from: Gamblour. on June 16, 2008, 10:48:27 AM
No, he doesn't. There is an actual plot unfolding in his origin story. The hardware is secondary to the storyline going on in Batman Begins. Iron Man is a 45-minute suit-building montage with comic relief from a robot. The hardware in Batman comes out of the character, whereas Iron Man is a fucking hypocrite because he suit is nothing but a weapon.
The hardware building in Batman Begins is hardly a secondary story. Unlike Iron Man, the film wants you to understand how the specifics of how the suit came to be. Alfred is a father figure to Bruce Wayne, but most of his dialogue is about suit armor and the technicalities of what they need to do to make it. Morgan Freeman's character has little interest besides his understanding of the technical details Batman has to deal with. He's really void of any real significance as a character. All of it is geeky interest. In Iron Man you understand what Starks accomplishes is amazing, but you have no idea how he really does it. I thought it was absurd that Batman Begins had to go to such lengths to explain the creation of his suit. The only character development you get during the suit building is a few scenes about his history with Rachael and their current emotional distance. The best scenes about his emotional history come when he is in Asia with Raz Ah Gaul (a worthwhile subplot). A good junk of the film though seems mainly dedicated to his suit and accessories.
And yes, a lot of the interplay with Starks is for comedy between other characters and even robots, but the movie is a comedy. At least Iron Man keeps the film about the characters and their personalities. Because it is a comedy a lot of the interplay is superficial, but it gives room for the actors to really act instead of explain the meaning of how it is to build things. The actors in Batman Begins were actually trying to make meaningful speeches out of the creation of the suit making that it reminded me of bad TV. In bad TV (like shows on CBS or NBC) you have characters who solely exist for their intelligent processes. They consider themselves geniuses of some kind and their soliquoy comes with explaining something technical. The drama is so ham you get a little embarassed they can make some dialogue try to sound so important. I had to recoil and hide my face during a lot of things Morgan Freeman said in the film.
Iron Man is totally superfical with a lot of things, but the actors are working well with their personalities. It's superficial, but it's also a super hero movie. It's supposed to be fun and entertaining.
Robocop was way better than this.
Robocop is the best.
Quote from: The Gold Trumpet on June 16, 2008, 12:26:01 PM
It's superficial, but it's also a super hero movie. It's supposed to be fun and entertaining.
NO.It's supposed to be good.
amen.
took a bunch of teenagers to see this today, it's good, but more and more movies play out like TV pilots.
Theroux to write 'Iron Man' sequel
Marvel nears deals with Favreau, Downey Jr.
Source: Variety
Marvel has handed the armor over to Justin Theroux, who will pen the sequel to "Iron Man."
The comicbook giant's film division is close to a deal to bring back helmer Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. for the pic it hopes to release in April 2010.
Theroux, a thesp-scribe best known for roles in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" and HBO's "Six Feet Under" and miniseries "John Adams," most recently wrote the DreamWorks comedy "Tropic Thunder," which Paramount will unspool next month.
In addition to writing and appearing in "Tropic Thunder," Theroux also exec produced the laffer, which stars Ben Stiller, Downey and Jack Black. He recently made his directing debut on "Dedication," which the Weinstein Co. distribbed.
"Iron Man," released in May, has earned more than $314 million at the domestic box office and collected another $252 million overseas.
It was Marvel Studios' first self-financed pic, distribbed by Par, so it's no surprise that the studio is looking to get another installment into theaters as quickly as possible.
Marvel Studios, however, isn't being quick to confirm any deals around the project, saying it doesn't comment on rumors.