Iron Man 2

[MacGuffin]

Mickey Rourke Not Doing Iron Man 2?
Source: Superhero Hype

Mickey Rourke has told New York Magazine that it's looking like he won't be playing the villain in Iron Man 2:

But so what if ICM's David Unger doesn't look good in a dress — at least he's battling Marvel for a bigger paycheck for Rourke for his rumored role as a villain in Iron Man 2, right? "Right now, we're not doing Iron Man 2," Rourke told us grimly.

In January, the news broke that Marvel had offered the award-winning "Wrestler" star just $250,000 to play a villain in the sequel. Perhaps further negotiations didn't go so well? Also, Rourke is now firmly attached to star in Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables, which starts shooting shortly and might interfere with the Iron Man 2 shoot.

Stay tuned for possibly more on this...

[MacGuffin]

Samuel Jackson joins 'Iron' cast
Actor signs long-term deal to play Nick Fury
Source: Variety

Samuel L. Jackson has buried the hatchet with Marvel Entertainment, making a deal to play the role of Nick Fury in "Iron Man 2," and potentially many other films.

Jackson's deal is a long-term commitment to play Fury, the leader of the espionage unit the Shield. His deal contains an option to play the character in nine future Marvel superhero films, efforts that are expected to include "Captain America," "Thor," "The Avengers" and "The Shield" as well as potential sequels.

Jackson introduced Fury in the closing moments of "Iron Man," when the character asked Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark to join his group. Fury is a natural to show up in multiple Marvel franchises, as he crosses paths with many Marvel superheroes in the comicbooks.

Jackson's Marvel future looked murky, after he reportedly expressed his displeasure with the producer-financier's initial offer to reprise his role. Jackson was hardly alone: Even though "Iron Man" grossed more than $600 million worldwide, Marvel brass has been sparing in offers to talent like Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell to play villains in the sequel, sources said.

Jackson and his ICM reps have evidently cleared those dealmaking hurdles, and he will take part in the sequel that director Jon Favreau shoots in the spring, with Paramount Pictures distributing in summer 2010.

[MacGuffin]

Mickey Rourke set for 'Iron Man 2'
Actor able to negotiate salary increase
Source: Variety

Mickey Rourke has closed his deal to play the Russian villain in "Iron Man 2."

His involvement was expected (Daily Variety, Jan. 7), but dealmaking was arduous after Marvel Entertainment offered "The Wrestler" star only $250,000 for his first major studio film in years.

Rourke's salary will be now better than that.

While his ICM rep, David Unger, battled for more dough, Rourke's encounters with "Iron Man" star Robert Downey Jr. on the awards circuit sealed his participation in the film.

Rourke won the Golden Globe and was Oscar nominated for "The Wrestler" and Downey got Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for "Tropic Thunder," so Downey used each occasion to recruit Rourke.

When Downey, Rourke as well as actors including Frank Langella and Anne Hathaway took part in a roundtable discussion with Newsweek's David Ansen, Downey interrupted the proceedings, reached across the table and flat out asked Rourke to do "Iron Man 2."

Rourke also met with Jon Favreau and scribe Justin Theroux and got to be part of the development of his character. He'll play Whiplash, a character that includes elements from that comicbook villain and Crimson Dynamo, another Russian baddie.

Marvel wouldn't confirm Rourke's involvement, but he's planning to join Downey, Sam Rockwell and Samuel L. Jackson, with Scarlett Johansson the frontrunner to play the Black Widow.

[MacGuffin]

Confirmed: Scarlett Johansson is Iron Man 2's Black Widow

E! Online confirmed that Scarlett Johansson has signed on to Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2, taking over the role of Black Widow.

Johansson (The Spirit) steps in for Emily Blunt, who had to drop out because of a scheduling conflict with Gulliver's Travels.

The news confirms a rumor first reported by Entertainment Weekly.

"Scarlett is thrilled to be a part of Iron Man," Johansson's representative, Marcel Pariseau, told E!

[MacGuffin]

Terrence Howard: Iron Man Execs Made "Very, Very Bad Choice"

Terrence Howard is not pleased he was replaced in the "Iron Man" sequel over a reported salary dispute.

"Marvel made a choice, and it was a very, very bad choice," the actor -- whose role was given to Don Cheadle -- tells Parade.com. "They didn't keep their word. They didn't honor my contract."

Howard says producers didn't share the profits of the flick -- which earned over $318 million -- with most of the actors.

"They produced a great bounty with the first one, but they put it all in the storehouse and you were not allowed in," he says. "They did the same thing with Gwyneth Paltrow, from what I've been told.

The only person who got a raise?

"They did it with everyone but Robert Downey [Jr]," fumes Howard. "One of the things that actors need to do is always stick together: one for all, and all for one."

Even though he's upset, he's not spilling any details from the anticipated sequel.

"I've seen the script, I know what's going to happen -- but I'm not revealing anything. I believe in karma," he says. "When someone does something wrong, you don't have to get them back. Everything right will return the favor for you."

He'll still watch the follow up -- which also stars Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke -- in theaters.

"I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the movie. I want to see Don Cheadle become me. No, I want him to do better than me," Howard says. "That's what I really want to see. Don Cheadle was the reason I got 'Crash,' so I have a lot of love for him."

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First look: 'Iron Man 2' explores the unmasked life 
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY

Tony Stark is out of the superhero closet, and it's no picnic.

The sequel to last summer's blockbuster, which began shooting three weeks ago and opens May 7, 2010, takes place six months after Stark revealed his identity as Iron Man, says director Jon Favreau. And the development is playing out with unexpected results. "How many superheroes are open about their true identities?" he asks. "We wanted to play with that idea. But it obviously has consequences — in his relationships, on the team. There are a lot of areas we can explore."

He hopes to have all other Iron Man 2 details locked down — even though he's sending dispatches via Twitter from the set. "It's never easy with summer movies, but we're trying to keep as much a surprise as possible," he says.

That means no new dirt on replacing Terrence Howard with Don Cheadle, or how the crime-fighting team S.H.I.E.L.D. will ultimately come together. Or how he'll work in new characters. Among those signed on for this go-round are Mickey Rourke as Whiplash, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer.

Favreau says that tackling the franchise a second time is easier because he knows the landscape. Something else would help, too: "I really enjoyed when we were a dark horse and no one knew much about us. ... I hope we can find that place again."

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First look: Mickey Rourke suits up as Whiplash for 'Iron Man 2'
By Mike Snider, USA TODAY

In Iron Man 2, the scarlet and golden-metaled hero must face an adversary with some amazing gadgets of his own.

Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) sports a power pack on his chest that looks similar to the one that Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) uses.

"The technologies are definitely related," says director Jon Favreau. "That's part of the core theme of the film."

The villain's alter ego, Ivan Vanko, is a Russian who "has constructed his own version of a suit," Favreau says. Among the creative innovations: a pair of whips, powered by the suit's glowing chest piece, that are expected to keep Iron Man cracking.

Whiplash "is going to light them up," Rourke quips.

This first image of the character shows Whiplash making an appearance at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix. Favreau as usual is tight-lipped about plot points and declines to discuss whether the big-screen Whiplash is, as in the Marvel Comics, a weapons designer who works for Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), a competitor of Tony Stark/Iron Man.

"We like to play into and against the expectations that people might have, so we mixed it up a bit," Favreau says.

Rourke's performances in Sin City and The Wrestler helped convince the director that the actor was the best candidate to face Downey in his sequel to last spring's blockbuster that grossed $318.4 million.

"It was very important that the villain be as compelling as can be. ... Once I thought of Mickey in that role, it made me understand how to shape the story."

[Stefen]

haha, oh, no.

[Kal]

So this is a mix of Terminator Salvation and The Wrestler? They got The Ram's body and made him into a machine?

[picolas]

So this is a mix of Terminator Salvation and The Wrestler? They got The Ram's body and made him into a machine?

sure. and they gave him some whips. from catwoman i'm guessing. and the orange pants are from arrested development. and the arms are from forrest gump's legs.

[RegularKarate]

When I first saw that picture, I thought Danny Trejo had been cast in a new Mad Max movie.

[polkablues]

"The technologies are definitely related," says director Jon Favreau. "That's part of the core theme of the film."

That's not technically a "theme".

[MacGuffin]

[modage]

[Stefen]

^lol.