Iron Man 3

[JonWes]

Well, I'm still sort of buzzed thanks to the amazingness of The Avengers. After a good (but not great) Iron Man 2, Avengers got me excited about the character again. I'm REALLY intrigued about what they might be doing with this movie. Since it's filming now, and Marvel is either not being that secretive about it or just not catching leaks very well... there is a surprisingly large amount of info we know for fact.

I'll put potentially spoiler-ific stuff in tags.

The cast includes:

Confirmed returning:

Robert Downey Jr. - Tony Stark
Gwyneth Paltrow - Pepper Potts
John Favreau - Happy Hogan
Don Cheadle - James Rhodes

New cast:

Ben Kingsley - Unknown (heavily rumored to be

 

The Mandarin

)
James Dale Badge - Eric Savin (who was the cyborg Coldblood in the comics)
Ashley Hamilton - Firepower
Guy Pearce - Aldrich Killian
Rebecca Hall- Unconfirmed, but probably Maya Hansen

Some plot details:
Based on the cast list, it's rumored that the movie will be partially based on the Warren Ellis/Adi Granov Extremis storyline. For those who don't know, the look and feel of this storyline actually had a huge impact on the first film. The basic plot of the comic

 

concerned a new nanotechnology developed by Maya Hansen. Dr. Aldrich Killian steals it and it ends up infecting one guy who becomes a superhuman that seriously challenges Iron Man. After a serious injury, Tony is forced to try Extremis on himself, which gives him new abilities and levels of interaction with his suit.

The latest news seems to confirm Kingsley's role in the movie, as well as give an idea of how all these villains will work in relation to each other:

 

Latino Review has confirmed that Kingsley will actually be the Mandarin, and that there is a power structure that will make the Iron Man 3 story the most complex in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Again Disney and Marvel continue to deny these rumors, but as cameras start to roll today, the site said that can confirm that the Mandarin is indeed in the movie.


According to LR, Kingsley will be more of a behind-the-scenes villain, and is actually the person who sets the terrorist act of releasing the nanobot technology virus into motion. The main villain that audiences will be focusing on is actually Aldrich Killain (Guy Pearce). He will be the one who actually uses the Mandarin’s resources to release the virus.

Perhaps the biggest reveal so far just came to light, in that one of the villains was spotted in armor:

 

This armor looks a lot like the Iron Patriot armor Norman Osborne used. But Osborne (a Spider-man character) won't be in it. Apparently, it will be Eric Savin. It's likely this is his alternate identity versus the (rather forgettable) Coldblood. This is probably another case where, ala Whiplash, they mash up character names and traits for the movie.

[Inhibitor]

I might be a bit fuzzy on my marvel lore, but shouldn't the

 

Mandarin be kind of.. um... asian? I'm a huuuge fan of Kingsley and I know he'll be awesome no matter what, but every now and again the look and ethnicity of a character counts for alot.

I'm sure I will be solidly entertained by this film when it comes out.

[TheFallen]

Oh WOW!!!

I have become a huge fan of Iron Man/Tony Stark because of how well Robert Downey Jr. portrayed him in the movies. It also helps that the Matt Fraction comic is very well done

 

That Iron Partiot armor looks awesome. And the Mandarin?????

I am officially pumped

[BlueStreak]

I can't wait. I love both of the Iron Man movies and RDJ is the perfect Stark. Like Depp/Jack Sparrow, RDJ was born to play Stark.

[Alexx]

CRAZY EXCITED. Loving all the new info; thank you so much for compiling all that in one place! I never know where to look for all this stuff. I've been chomping at the bit for information on this.

[JonWes]

No problem! There has been a TON of exciting stuff just recently, so I thought it didn't hurt to start the thread... even though the movie is still a year away. I've seen a lot of people fretting that this will be overstuffed with villains but I'm not so worried yet.

I really hope RDJ just keeps making these movies. I would at least like two more IM and two more Avengers movies with him.

[TheFallen]

No problem! There has been a TON of exciting stuff just recently, so I thought it didn't hurt to start the thread... even though the movie is still a year away. I've seen a lot of people fretting that this will be overstuffed with villains but I'm not so worried yet.

I really hope RDJ just keeps making these movies. I would at least like two more IM and two more Avengers movies with him.

Agreed. I want them to tell all the good stories they can then put him on the shelf. I don't think there is anyone else who I would rather see play Iron Man/Tony Stark

[vertigoink]

It's pretty much a known fact that if you offer RDJ enough money he will pretty much stay on ANY role. I'm a bit confused as well that Ben Kingsley will be the Mandarin- he's amazing as an actor no doubt but the Mandarin? Tad bit of a stretch wouldn't you say?

[Galmorzu]

It's pretty much a known fact that if you offer RDJ enough money he will pretty much stay on ANY role. I'm a bit confused as well that Ben Kingsley will be the Mandarin- he's amazing as an actor no doubt but the Mandarin? Tad bit of a stretch wouldn't you say?

Unless it's more of a title than anything else. I know the director said he was uncomfortable with the stereotypes that could come with that character, so this might be their way around it. *shrugs*

[diosoth]

I need to watch the films. The comics have turned Stark into an unlikeable borderline villain with his support for registration and working with the Green Goblin, so maybe the films can actually make me like the character again.

It would be neat if Marvel could get the Spider-Man film license away from Sony. I'd pay good money to see some adaptation of the recent Carnage 5-parter on the screen in a crossover film.

 

Carnage found he could control Iron Man's armor with his symbiote, and almost drove Stark insane in the process. That's on top of using a competitor's symbiote-controlled armor as a weapon, as Stark's competitor used fragments of symbiotes as a form of neural interface for his own armors

[JonWes]

I'm assuming it's just a signifier or something. They are filming in China, so maybe that's his base of operations and it's meant to be an ironic name or something.

[theblock]

I just discovered this leaked report: http://spinoff.comicbookresources.co...rom-movie-set/

And Yes that appears to be the Iron Patriot suit, but obviously no Norman inside, still pretty cool they're using that for the movie cannon.

[krosfyah]

I don't know. I'm tired of Iron Man fighting more Iron Men. I really enjoyed the first movie but was a bit bored by the main villain/final battle, 2nd movie was fun, but again, ironman vs iron man/men third seems it's doing the same? sigh, the visuals in these movies are ALWAYS awesome, the action too has been outstanding, but I don't want more of the same but MORE. those ideas always worry me.

I'm not crying doom and gloom for this, but I am wary since the 2nd one (not a bad movie, it was fun but again, a bit boring in the choice of bad guys)

[Pixel Dan]

All I know is that I already want an action figure of that Iron Patriot armor!

[BCI Guy]

I don't know. I'm tired of Iron Man fighting more Iron Men. I really enjoyed the first movie but was a bit bored by the main villain/final battle, 2nd movie was fun, but again, ironman vs iron man/men third seems it's doing the same? sigh, the visuals in these movies are ALWAYS awesome, the action too has been outstanding, but I don't want more of the same but MORE. those ideas always worry me.

I'm not crying doom and gloom for this, but I am wary since the 2nd one (not a bad movie, it was fun but again, a bit boring in the choice of bad guys)

I agree. And its a problem that the comic has run into from time-to-time.

And with the "Pandora's Box" of actual superpowered and alien beings being introduced into Iron Man's world, there is no need for the movies to be "armor on armor" action. Hopefully the Mandarin will be the bigger villain.

That said, with the amazing chemistry that RDJ and Ruffalo had in The Avengers, I'd be thrilled to see an IRON MAN AND THE HULK film.

[krosfyah]

I agree. And its a problem that the comic has run into from time-to-time.

And with the "Pandora's Box" of actual superpowered and alien beings being introduced into Iron Man's world, there is no need for the movies to be "armor on armor" action. Hopefully the Mandarin will be the bigger villain.

That said, with the amazing chemistry that RDJ and Ruffalo had in The Avengers, I'd be thrilled to see an IRON MAN AND THE HULK film.

OOH! Marvel Team Up Movies!!! that would ROCK!!

[MegaGearMax]

I don't know. I'm tired of Iron Man fighting more Iron Men. I really enjoyed the first movie but was a bit bored by the main villain/final battle, 2nd movie was fun, but again, ironman vs iron man/men third seems it's doing the same? sigh, the visuals in these movies are ALWAYS awesome, the action too has been outstanding, but I don't want more of the same but MORE. those ideas always worry me.

I'm not crying doom and gloom for this, but I am wary since the 2nd one (not a bad movie, it was fun but again, a bit boring in the choice of bad guys)

But aren't those his villains, aside from The Mandarin and Fin Fang Foom? Practically everyone Tony fights on the regular is wearing some battlesuit...Firebrand, Melter, Crimson Dynamo, Titanium Man, Firepower, Ghost, Living Laser (initially)...heck, even Ultimo is a big giant robot.

[diosoth]

Maybe film makers need to ditch the current trend of "everything has to be 'realistic'" and just go wild with stuff, like movies used to do. As I recall, the Mask did quite well in theaters and it was basically a live action cartoon. They seem worried about stuff looking goofy, yet they don't much try it to begin with. Hellboy went wild and if not for angry execs slashing the ad budget it'd probably have done quite well.

[BCI Guy]

But aren't those his villains, aside from The Mandarin and Fin Fang Foom? Practically everyone Tony fights on the regular is wearing some battlesuit...Firebrand, Melter, Crimson Dynamo, Titanium Man, Firepower, Ghost, Living Laser (initially)...heck, even Ultimo is a big giant robot.

And that's the same problem the comic often has. IMO, all those guys do is make Iron Man less unique.

[Alexx]

Honestly, armored people fightings each other IS crazy enough for me. I mean we just don't GET that anymore! Then again, I'm a big fan of powered armor, so I'll take big armor fights where I can get 'em. Robot Jox pretty much killed it somehow, and everyone has been afraid to do some awesome armored bot/powered armor movies ever since (or it seems like it). We'll be getting enough aliens 'n superpowered folks with just about EVERY other superhero movie...so let an armored man fight other armored people if he wants! I want sparks flying from every punch; lasers, bullets, energy blasts all sending big piles of layered armor into buildings and making craters in the ground!!

*cough* So yeah I'm totally fine with where this is going so far. It's one of the few places where I can get my armor fix these days that isn't anime.

[krosfyah]

But aren't those his villains, aside from The Mandarin and Fin Fang Foom? Practically everyone Tony fights on the regular is wearing some battlesuit...Firebrand, Melter, Crimson Dynamo, Titanium Man, Firepower, Ghost, Living Laser (initially)...heck, even Ultimo is a big giant robot.

I'm not well versed in Iron Man's rougues gallery but a quick wiki-search leads me to

Blizzard, Blood Brothers, Boomerang, Crusher, grey gargoyle, Modok (technically a tech villain but he's so insane in personality and design that it would be fun)

[Pixel Dan]

Maybe film makers need to ditch the current trend of "everything has to be 'realistic'" and just go wild with stuff, like movies used to do. As I recall, the Mask did quite well in theaters and it was basically a live action cartoon. They seem worried about stuff looking goofy, yet they don't much try it to begin with. Hellboy went wild and if not for angry execs slashing the ad budget it'd probably have done quite well.

I don't think the Marvel movies have had the "gotta make it realistic" issue at all. In fact, I've been saying that Avengers has PROVEN that movies don't need to be "more grounded" and "realistic."

These movies aren't afraid to introduce the intergalactic and cosmic stuff into the fold. So I don't think the "realism" is an issue at all here.

[krosfyah]

I don't think the Marvel movies have had the "gotta make it realistic" issue at all. In fact, I've been saying that Avengers has PROVEN that movies don't need to be "more grounded" and "realistic."

These movies aren't afraid to introduce the intergalactic and cosmic stuff into the fold. So I don't think the "realism" is an issue at all here.

So long as it's realistic within the rules of the movie's universe, everything should be a go.

[BCI Guy]

I don't think the Marvel movies have had the "gotta make it realistic" issue at all. In fact, I've been saying that Avengers has PROVEN that movies don't need to be "more grounded" and "realistic."

These movies aren't afraid to introduce the intergalactic and cosmic stuff into the fold. So I don't think the "realism" is an issue at all here.

Exactly.

Iron Man, as a franchise, is no longer 'grounded in realism'. He's been side-by-side with Thor and Hulk. Fought against Loki and an alien armada. He no longer has to fight copies of himself to provide a challenge.

[Adam_Prince of Eternia]

I just discovered this leaked report: http://spinoff.comicbookresources.co...rom-movie-set/

And Yes that appears to be the Iron Patriot suit, but obviously no Norman inside, still pretty cool they're using that for the movie cannon.

If Firepower is the pilot of an experimental armored suit created by the government, then would it not make sense that the Iron Patriot armor is Firepower and not Coldblood as some sites are reporting?