Post by goldenfist on Dec 22, 2008 16:13:55 GMT -5
Putting all the news and rumors into perspective, 'Wizard' takes a comprehensive look at everything there is to know—right now—about ol' Shellhead's sequel
If you throw out the misogynist attitudes, the insane wealth and the bum ticker, Tony Stark and his director may have more in common than they realize.
Both hover over blueprints: While billionaire-turned-human-weapon Stark continues to evolve his armor in order to fit the demands of his heroics, Jon Favreau eyes production designs. Both have high expectations placed upon them, Stark for his bouts of world-saving, and Favreau for delivering a sequel as sleek and streamlined as the Mark III.
And if their budgets are anywhere near comparable, Favreau can thank the success of his "Iron Man," the pivotal first attempt by Marvel Studios to finance and produce a faithful adaptation of its source material. "Iron Man" steamrolled its way to over $300 million in box office receipts, while many hailed Robert Downey Jr.'s Stark as the finest performance ever given in the growing library of comic-inspired films.
"He is strong because he is smart, quick and funny, and because we sense his public persona masks deep private wounds," wrote film critic Roger Ebert. "By building on that, Favreau found his movie, and it's a good one." Marvel agreed—less than 72 hours after the film's opening, the studio announced a sequel would hit theaters in April 2010, a date that was later amended to May 7. What followed was a deluge of news, rumors and innuendo about Favreau's plans. Here's what we do—and don't—know about Shellhead's next takeoff.
Identity Crisis
Spoiler alert! With Stark "outing" himself as Iron Man in the original's closing sequence, Favreau appears to be distancing his star from other screen heroes by eliminating his secret identity. While that may save him from the indignity of wearing glasses and ducking into phone booths, he may as well paint a target on the back of Stark Industries—as well as loved ones.
"It's about what happens after you say, 'I am Iron Man,'" offers Invincible Iron Man scribe Matt Fraction, who recently spent three days at the Marvel Studios offices talking shop with Favreau. "I think Tony revealing his identity to the public opens up a lot of different boxes for him. Some of them are bad and some of them are good."
One of those "bad boxes" could conceivably be a carton of cheap booze: Favreau told the Los Angeles Times that Tony's battle with the bottle is a likely topic for the sequel, one made all the more resonant by Downey's prior troubles. "Stark has issues with booze," he said. "That's part of who he is...it will be dealt with."
Just don't expect Stark to spend a full two hours vomiting into his helmet. "I don't know that they're ever going to do a straight-up 'Demon in a Bottle' After School Special about the nightmares of drinking," says Fraction, in reference to the famous alcoholism storyline from Iron Man.
"My impression is, it's there, it's becoming a problem, but I don't know they're ever going to go super-dark." But when queried whether or not Stark's media revelation has anything to do with his increased imbibing, Fraction shifts in his seat and laughs. "That's an unfair question. I know the answer, but I can't really speak to it."
Though the sequel will sport a screenplay by Justin Theroux—whom Downey recommended after working with him on "Tropic Thunder"—Favreau and Downey, who have both officially signed on for the sequel, also consulted with screenwriter/director Shane Black ("Lethal Weapon," "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang") on Stark's character arc, who advised them to think along the lines of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the self-titled "destroyer of worlds" who struggled with remorse after inventing the atomic bomb.
Scum and Villainy
Excised from early drafts of "Iron Man" was the Mandarin, Stark's arch-nemesis from the Orient who wields ten rings of mystical power. Favreau has been oft quoted as saying he didn't yet have a proper handle on the character; now, as he told the L.A. Times, he thinks he's got it.
"Mandarin is still an important figure in the Iron Man universe," he said. "We have an interesting take on him that allows us to incorporate the whole pantheon of villains."
Favreau has yet to clarify the statement—it's possible the Mandarin could summon a troupe of villains to oppose Stark—but Fraction advises not to expect the standard-issue depiction of the main antagonist. "It's tough when you've got a guy with a Fu Manchu mustache and imperial robes," he says. "You can bring a mature and fully formed character to the screen that doesn't play on stereotypes."
However he's formed, it's possible Mandarin will remain more of a string-pulling puppeteer than someone with as much screen time as the first film's villain, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). Favreau has said he's looked at the way the Emperor was used in "The Empire Strikes Back" as an example of perfectly proportioned terror.
Speaking of the Stane clan, Fraction cautions against expecting an appearance by Ezekiel Stane, the prodigy he conjured up in the pages of Invincible Iron Man. "I don't think it makes sense for the sequel because we just got done with Stane. It's a big world. Why limit yourself to Stark vs. Stane movies?"
A possible clash could come instead against James Rhodes (Don Cheadle, replacing Terrence Howard in both "Iron Man 2" and "Avengers"), the man who dons Stark's armor after the industrialist succumbs to alcohol. Favreau promised the Times that War Machine would be a factor, "shoulder cannons and all," while Howard told IGN.com about an intermediate step that would see Rhodes adopting the Iron Man identity before securing his own armor.
SUPERHERO SYNERGY
"Iron Man 2" isn't Marvel's only heavy artillery for 2010: The studio is also busy prepping "Thor," likely directed by Kenneth Branagh ("Dead Again") and slated for a July 16 release.
Considering the studio's commitment to having franchises cross-pollinate—Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) popped up in the first "Iron Man" to help whet appetites for the eventual "Avengers" movie, which will be executive produced by Favreau—it's possible that we'll see Mighty Mjolnir function in the same fashion that Downey did in "The Incredible Hulk." The problem, Favreau told CHUD.com, is that Thor's Norse god mythology is a bit of an oil-and-water fit for Iron Man's techno-strict narrative.
"I think that's what makes it fascinating," counters Fraction. "I have no idea how they're going to work together on 'Avengers.' [But] I think the first concern is, 'Let's make a great Iron Man movie and a great Thor movie,' and not, 'Let's make sure they mix together.' First things first."
However Thor factors in, expect Jackson to further the "Avengers" link with another appearance. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is important to the franchise, and what's S.H.I.E.L.D. without Fury?" he told the Times.
Under Pressure
Marvel's near-immediate press release of a 2010 landing for the sequel was news to Favreau, who posted a candid reaction on his MySpace blog in June.
"I am concerned about the announced release date of April 2010...This genre of movie is best when it is done thoughtfully and with plenty of preparation...I think we owe it to the fans to have a great version of 'Iron Man 2' and, at this point, we would have less time to make it than the first one."
In October, he re-affirmed that the expedited schedule was "daunting," but elaborated to the Times that, "we are making much faster progress than the first time around and have much less to design and fewer casting issues."
Fraction agrees, citing the fact that after making the first film, Favreau and his team have a template to work from. "They have Iron Man, Pepper [Potts, and] that's a huge part of it. I didn't see anything that led me to believe he was feeling any kind of time crunch. It was a relaxed and super-creative environment."
If "Iron Man" provides a ready-mixed chemistry for the sequel, it might also serve as a cautionary tale of what to avoid. Among the few complaints lobbed at the film was a standard-issue climactic CGI battle between Stark and rival Stane. "I thought the movie was so imaginative and so creative and the actors were so wonderful that when the computer robots started to fight each other, it was a bit of a letdown," says Fraction. "When it inescapably resorted to formula, that was the biggest bummer for me. I wanted to watch the characters."
Favreau, he adds, "is definitely aware" of the criticism and welcomes the input by Fraction and other Marvel consults—even while threatening them with cigar burns if they spill any secrets.
But if there's one thing Fraction can guarantee about Shellhead's celluloid sequel? "Iron Man is going to be in it."
If you throw out the misogynist attitudes, the insane wealth and the bum ticker, Tony Stark and his director may have more in common than they realize.
Both hover over blueprints: While billionaire-turned-human-weapon Stark continues to evolve his armor in order to fit the demands of his heroics, Jon Favreau eyes production designs. Both have high expectations placed upon them, Stark for his bouts of world-saving, and Favreau for delivering a sequel as sleek and streamlined as the Mark III.
And if their budgets are anywhere near comparable, Favreau can thank the success of his "Iron Man," the pivotal first attempt by Marvel Studios to finance and produce a faithful adaptation of its source material. "Iron Man" steamrolled its way to over $300 million in box office receipts, while many hailed Robert Downey Jr.'s Stark as the finest performance ever given in the growing library of comic-inspired films.
"He is strong because he is smart, quick and funny, and because we sense his public persona masks deep private wounds," wrote film critic Roger Ebert. "By building on that, Favreau found his movie, and it's a good one." Marvel agreed—less than 72 hours after the film's opening, the studio announced a sequel would hit theaters in April 2010, a date that was later amended to May 7. What followed was a deluge of news, rumors and innuendo about Favreau's plans. Here's what we do—and don't—know about Shellhead's next takeoff.
Identity Crisis
Spoiler alert! With Stark "outing" himself as Iron Man in the original's closing sequence, Favreau appears to be distancing his star from other screen heroes by eliminating his secret identity. While that may save him from the indignity of wearing glasses and ducking into phone booths, he may as well paint a target on the back of Stark Industries—as well as loved ones.
"It's about what happens after you say, 'I am Iron Man,'" offers Invincible Iron Man scribe Matt Fraction, who recently spent three days at the Marvel Studios offices talking shop with Favreau. "I think Tony revealing his identity to the public opens up a lot of different boxes for him. Some of them are bad and some of them are good."
One of those "bad boxes" could conceivably be a carton of cheap booze: Favreau told the Los Angeles Times that Tony's battle with the bottle is a likely topic for the sequel, one made all the more resonant by Downey's prior troubles. "Stark has issues with booze," he said. "That's part of who he is...it will be dealt with."
Just don't expect Stark to spend a full two hours vomiting into his helmet. "I don't know that they're ever going to do a straight-up 'Demon in a Bottle' After School Special about the nightmares of drinking," says Fraction, in reference to the famous alcoholism storyline from Iron Man.
"My impression is, it's there, it's becoming a problem, but I don't know they're ever going to go super-dark." But when queried whether or not Stark's media revelation has anything to do with his increased imbibing, Fraction shifts in his seat and laughs. "That's an unfair question. I know the answer, but I can't really speak to it."
Though the sequel will sport a screenplay by Justin Theroux—whom Downey recommended after working with him on "Tropic Thunder"—Favreau and Downey, who have both officially signed on for the sequel, also consulted with screenwriter/director Shane Black ("Lethal Weapon," "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang") on Stark's character arc, who advised them to think along the lines of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the self-titled "destroyer of worlds" who struggled with remorse after inventing the atomic bomb.
Scum and Villainy
Excised from early drafts of "Iron Man" was the Mandarin, Stark's arch-nemesis from the Orient who wields ten rings of mystical power. Favreau has been oft quoted as saying he didn't yet have a proper handle on the character; now, as he told the L.A. Times, he thinks he's got it.
"Mandarin is still an important figure in the Iron Man universe," he said. "We have an interesting take on him that allows us to incorporate the whole pantheon of villains."
Favreau has yet to clarify the statement—it's possible the Mandarin could summon a troupe of villains to oppose Stark—but Fraction advises not to expect the standard-issue depiction of the main antagonist. "It's tough when you've got a guy with a Fu Manchu mustache and imperial robes," he says. "You can bring a mature and fully formed character to the screen that doesn't play on stereotypes."
However he's formed, it's possible Mandarin will remain more of a string-pulling puppeteer than someone with as much screen time as the first film's villain, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). Favreau has said he's looked at the way the Emperor was used in "The Empire Strikes Back" as an example of perfectly proportioned terror.
Speaking of the Stane clan, Fraction cautions against expecting an appearance by Ezekiel Stane, the prodigy he conjured up in the pages of Invincible Iron Man. "I don't think it makes sense for the sequel because we just got done with Stane. It's a big world. Why limit yourself to Stark vs. Stane movies?"
A possible clash could come instead against James Rhodes (Don Cheadle, replacing Terrence Howard in both "Iron Man 2" and "Avengers"), the man who dons Stark's armor after the industrialist succumbs to alcohol. Favreau promised the Times that War Machine would be a factor, "shoulder cannons and all," while Howard told IGN.com about an intermediate step that would see Rhodes adopting the Iron Man identity before securing his own armor.
SUPERHERO SYNERGY
"Iron Man 2" isn't Marvel's only heavy artillery for 2010: The studio is also busy prepping "Thor," likely directed by Kenneth Branagh ("Dead Again") and slated for a July 16 release.
Considering the studio's commitment to having franchises cross-pollinate—Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) popped up in the first "Iron Man" to help whet appetites for the eventual "Avengers" movie, which will be executive produced by Favreau—it's possible that we'll see Mighty Mjolnir function in the same fashion that Downey did in "The Incredible Hulk." The problem, Favreau told CHUD.com, is that Thor's Norse god mythology is a bit of an oil-and-water fit for Iron Man's techno-strict narrative.
"I think that's what makes it fascinating," counters Fraction. "I have no idea how they're going to work together on 'Avengers.' [But] I think the first concern is, 'Let's make a great Iron Man movie and a great Thor movie,' and not, 'Let's make sure they mix together.' First things first."
However Thor factors in, expect Jackson to further the "Avengers" link with another appearance. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is important to the franchise, and what's S.H.I.E.L.D. without Fury?" he told the Times.
Under Pressure
Marvel's near-immediate press release of a 2010 landing for the sequel was news to Favreau, who posted a candid reaction on his MySpace blog in June.
"I am concerned about the announced release date of April 2010...This genre of movie is best when it is done thoughtfully and with plenty of preparation...I think we owe it to the fans to have a great version of 'Iron Man 2' and, at this point, we would have less time to make it than the first one."
In October, he re-affirmed that the expedited schedule was "daunting," but elaborated to the Times that, "we are making much faster progress than the first time around and have much less to design and fewer casting issues."
Fraction agrees, citing the fact that after making the first film, Favreau and his team have a template to work from. "They have Iron Man, Pepper [Potts, and] that's a huge part of it. I didn't see anything that led me to believe he was feeling any kind of time crunch. It was a relaxed and super-creative environment."
If "Iron Man" provides a ready-mixed chemistry for the sequel, it might also serve as a cautionary tale of what to avoid. Among the few complaints lobbed at the film was a standard-issue climactic CGI battle between Stark and rival Stane. "I thought the movie was so imaginative and so creative and the actors were so wonderful that when the computer robots started to fight each other, it was a bit of a letdown," says Fraction. "When it inescapably resorted to formula, that was the biggest bummer for me. I wanted to watch the characters."
Favreau, he adds, "is definitely aware" of the criticism and welcomes the input by Fraction and other Marvel consults—even while threatening them with cigar burns if they spill any secrets.
But if there's one thing Fraction can guarantee about Shellhead's celluloid sequel? "Iron Man is going to be in it."