I'm looking forward to a sequel, but I'll admit that I'm not wild about the idea of exploring Stark's alcoholism. While it's a big part of the character's history in the comics, I fear it will just drag the movie down and upset that nice balance of humor and seriousness that this first one managed to attain.
A little too "Spider-Man" for your palate with the angst aspect, Tony? )
As a matter of fact ... YES! But you're right; they've said they want to explore that facet and I'm sure they will. IM#2 will probably have Stark falling off the wagon and renouncing the armor in Act I, Rhodes taking over and keeping the peace before being overwhelmed by some force in Act II, and Stark coming to terms with his alcoholism (with Pepper's help of course) coming back, reclaiming the armor and giving Rhodes the black and silver War Machine hardware so that together, they can take out the bad guys in Act III. You heard it here first.
I'm sure the Mandarin will be one of the villians in upcoming IM films. They'll just change him like Batman Begins changed Ras Al Ghul. They'll take out the mystical elements and bring him up to date as a contemporary modern day villain with some sort of mysterious past that will harken back in some way to the comic books.
There were also definitely some little hints dropped during the film that would suggest the Mandarin is lurking behind the scenes. And like my brother says, they'll probably update him a bit and make him more geographically neutral.
Here's the problem with IM becoming a solid franchise within his little realm: Lame bad guys. Most comic fans, who know of the hero on the surface, couldn't name three solid candidates to wage chaos on IM if you asked them
It's not that the villains are lame; actually most of them have some pretty interesting abilities that would translate well visually to the screen. It's their costumes and presentations that are lame. I wouldn't be surprised if we get another villain from the books, suitably made over so as to not be so outlandish. Tweaked versions of Firebrand or the Living Laser could both be interesting henchmen given their respective powers. Another angle that might be interesting is if the Mandarin unleashes Ultimo as a doomsday weapon against the west.
After all, if you're going to have both Iron Man and War Machine flying around, you need some suitable adversaries for them to confront.
Of course I would LOVE to see Shellhead take on The Incredible Hulk in an apparent sequel.
Having Iron Man square off against the Hulk would be fun, and I wouldn't be surprised if we get something like that in the first act of an Avengers movie.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I'm looking forward to a sequel, but I'll admit that I'm not wild about the idea of exploring Stark's alcoholism. While it's a big part of the character's history in the comics, I fear it will just drag the movie down and upset that nice balance of humor and seriousness that this first one managed to attain.
A little too "Spider-Man" for your palate with the angst aspect, Tony? )
As a matter of fact ... YES!
I want Aunt May to have a cameo in thie next one as an innocent bystander while IM's fighting whomever in New York.
I can see it now- a large piece of a crumbling building, during a colossal melee, comes falling down towards her only for IM to rescue her within the blink of an eye...
She goes on to thank him over & over and talk about who on earth would've taken care of her nephew Peter had he not intervened. Iron Man proceeds to hand her the toaster she just got from the bank that she previously dropped before heading back into the fray. )
*Goes to write the pitch to Favreau*
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
A little too "Spider-Man" for your palate with the angst aspect, Tony? )
As a matter of fact ... YES!
I want Aunt May to have a cameo in thie next one as an innocent bystander while IM's fighting whomever in New York.
I can see it now- a large piece of a crumbling building, during a colossal melee, comes falling down towards her only for IM to rescue her within the blink of an eye...
She goes on to thank him over & over and talk about who on earth would've taken care of her nephew Peter had he not intervened. Iron Man proceeds to hand her the toaster she just got from the bank that she previously dropped before heading back into the fray. )
*Goes to write the pitch to Favreau*
She then steps off the curb and a semi takes her out - RIP :v
I want Aunt May to have a cameo in thie next one as an innocent bystander while IM's fighting whomever in New York.
I can see it now- a large piece of a crumbling building, during a colossal melee, comes falling down towards her only for IM to rescue her within the blink of an eye...
She goes on to thank him over & over and talk about who on earth would've taken care of her nephew Peter had he not intervened. Iron Man proceeds to hand her the toaster she just got from the bank that she previously dropped before heading back into the fray. )
*Goes to write the pitch to Favreau*
She then steps off the curb and a semi takes her out - RIP :v
Cut to a heart-wrenching closeup of the crushed toaster, a metaphor for all our shattered hopes and dreams.
) ) ) I almost choked from laughing so hard. The only thing better would be if the semi was driven by ... ME! Kill the old bag!!!
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Yeah, maybe the semi is a little over the top. How about granny making it home with her freeby toaster and then gets electricuted when she plugs it in to her substandard, non-UL approved outlet :v
Yeah, maybe the semi is a little over the top. How about granny making it home with her freeby toaster and then gets electricuted when she plugs it in to her substandard, non-UL approved outlet :v
The very one she had installed by Electro (who was posing as an unlicensed electrician) so she could save a few dollars for Peter's college fund. The poor old bag. So sad.
Yeah, maybe the semi is a little over the top. How about granny making it home with her freeby toaster and then gets electricuted when she plugs it in to her substandard, non-UL approved outlet :v
The very one she had installed by Electro (who was posing as an unlicensed electrician) so she could save a few dollars for Peter's college fund. The poor old bag. So sad.
Saw it last night- great fun. The cast were superb, and not knowing much about Iron Man besides what he looked like, that's a great move.
I thought it went slightly flat in the last act
from where we knew that Bridges was a bad guy
, the main problem being (bizarrely) that the scenes without Iron Man in i.e. where Downey got to be onscreen, were better than the ones with him in the suit. Stark's more interesting to watch than Iron Man (although it's refreshing to see a superhero where there's no difference between the superhero and the secret identity; it's just him in a suit). The action scenes weren't bad at all, but the Stark scenes were just better.
Amazing that it's done so well- is it just good timing? It's the first of the big films this year, after all. I don't imagine it's because the audience have been dying to see Iron Man up on the big screen; I like to think that it's the amazing cast: people know quality.
Not desperate to see the Dark Knight. I'd rather watch Iron Man again, to be honest.
I do not agree that Spiderman 1 is better than IM; for my money, IM is light years ahead of Mr. & Mrs. Angst. I'm sure it comes down to personal preference but I cannot stand all the crying, relationship hangups and high school melodrama in Spiderman. The CGI in the film is also very lacking compared to IM. Spiderman often looks like a CGI character with unraelistic moves no mass to him; IM's transitions between live action and CG were much more seamless to my eyes.
Well, be fair: Iron Man was made six years after Spider Man! I imagine that the effects in Crystal Skull might just be more convincing than those in Temple of Doom!
Well, I finally managed to sneak away from my real life long enough to see Iron Man today. I liked it--a lot--but I won't call it the best superhero movie I've ever seen (Spider-Man 2, Batman Begins, and the original 1978 Superman are still tops in my book). I think the movie clicks precisely because Downey is so darned good in the role: his character arc is entirely convincing, perhaps because it is so much like his real life. I also enjoyed the effects and the supporting performances from Jeff Bridges and, err, the guy who helps Tony build the Mark I suit. The downside is that the story struck me as a little thin, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Terence Howard seemed out of place. But, still, it's whet my appetite for The Dark Knight and Iron Man II--or, as the film's coda seemed to indicate, the Avengers movie.
Vox clamantis in deserto
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
And to bring this back on topic, just announced by Marvel:
IRON MAN II - APRIL 30, 2010!!!!
Two-year turnaround...I like it B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I saw it sunday with the other half. Absolutely top! lots of nods for the fans but still enough for the non-fans to get it. my wife loved it and she only knows the movies she's never read any comics and she even sat through the credits even though she has no idea who the person was at the end
Iron Man continued to own the box office this weekend, taking in another estimated $50 million. With no real competition until Indy IV on May 22, I wouldn't be surprised to see it at No. 1 again next weekend. Way to go Shellhead!
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
Saw this on bank holiday monday with the family. We weren't too sure what it was going to be like but thought it was fantastic. Loved the one liners and am hoping to see it again soon!
Relax darling, I'm on top of the situation -{
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Saw it today, and despite an awful crowd who wouldn't shut the bleep up, I loved it. Downey Jr. was marvelous, Paltrow looked amazing, surprisingly, and Sam Jackson was so cool.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Now that I've had time to reflect on my viewing, I thought I'd write a few comment about IM.
Is this the best comic book movie ever made? Not by a longshot. BB kills it in terms of story. To be honest, IM is INCREDIBLY formulaic and quite predictable. I also think it was too short - not enough Mark 3. But the cast really did make up for it, and that made the film quite special. In fact, I'm going to go on a limb and say Downey Jr. is the BEST cast superhero EVER. Better than Bale, better than McGuire, etc. He MADE the film, plain and simple. He took the predictable storyline and made it incredible.
I can't wait for the sequel. Now I'm not really up on IM storylines, and I know War Machine is a good guy, but doesn't Rhodes eventually turn bad? Wouldn't Iron Man vs. War Machine be cool? For instance, how about this (kind of a rewritten IM history): Stark's alcoholism gets worse, passes IM on to Rhodes. Rhodes upgrades the IM suit eventually to War Machine, but eventually gets caught up in the drama and eventually starts killing people and being too harsh (think Azbats). So, with the help of Pepper, Stark has to get his act together and reclaim the Iron Man mantle. Thoughts? This might be better as the third film rather than the second. It may be too early for the alcoholism.
Also, in regards to the trailers shown, TDK of course looks incredible. Indiana Jones looks... well... fake and not very good. Hulk looks better than I thought, kind of like a Jason Bourne set in the Marvel universe. However, Abomination just looks gross. But Hulk looks better than I expected.
I really hesitate to compare Iron Man to Batman; even thought they're both adapted from comic books, they're very different movies with divergent characters, situations and overall tone. While you could argue that BB has a better story, it is also a very dark and serious movie and Batman himself is portrayed as a largely humorless, almost sullen character. IM on the other hand isn't quite so conflicted and the movie has a lot more humor to it. I think those qualities make it a little more accessible for mainstream moviegoers but I enjoy both films a lot.
As to Jim Rhodes, I don't think he ever became an out and out villain in the comics. There was a period where he was being more aggressive than usual and Stark determined that it was due to the armor not being properly calibrated for him. It will be interesting to see how they get him into the suit and what he does after he gets it.
Interestingly, John Favreau has still not been signed up for a sequel. Unlike Downey, Howard and Paltrow (who all have 3 picture deals) Favreau was only signed on for one movie and has not yet been approached by Marvel. Given his enthusiasm for the character and the accolades he's received, I think it's only a matter of time before Marvel signs him up again. Unless of course they don't like the direction he wants to go with the next one - Favreau has stated that he wants to adapt the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline and while that may make for good drama, it may not be the best recipe for summer blockbuster success. In addition to tackling Stark's alcoholism, the storyline also involved corporate intrigue with business rival Justin Hammer taking over Stark Enterprises; that part of the story is a little too similar to what Obidiah Stane was up to in the first movie.
Incidentally, Iron Man had another good weekend at the boxoffice, taking in an additional $31 million in the USA and $42 million overseas. It's now made close to $430 million in just 17 days.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I don't want to sound like a broken record but my hat has to come off to Marvel I swear. Just for the courage of taking chances on their characters hit or miss.
Iron Man has coasted over the 200 million dollar mark and is showing no signs of slowing up anytime soon...although Indy might have something to say about that. Note that I did say: MIGHT.
I still think that IM wasn't a sensational accomplishment as far as comic book films go but it's now in my top 5 of the genre and I'll be buying the DVD when it's available. 85-90% of the credit still goes to Downey IMO. He is Tony Stark.
With San Diego's Comic Con just weeks away, I really hope that Warner/DC has some major news to report about upcoming projects that will get fans cranked up about because they are the laughing stock of several fanboy websites all over.
Give me Flash, Green Lantern or SHAZAM! Even though I don't mind, I think that it would be unwise for them to appease the fans with more Batman and Superman projects when they are sitting on such an arsenal of material.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I agree Marvel have proved that with the right cast/director even the more fringe characters can pull in the big bucks. Warner really need to look at other heroes, comics like the flash and green lantern dont run for decades without a loyal following
If anyone wants a reason to go see Iron Man again at the theaters, this might be it...
I stumbled upon a blog that says you can spot Captain America's shield in the IM movie. I don't know if this image has been doctored in any way. We'll need an eagle-eyed moviegoer to catch it for real in order to verify...
According to Marvel exec Kevin Feige, that pic is legit and that is in fact Cap's shield.
Feige also said that negotiations are underway with John Favreau to direct the sequel and should be wrapped up "soon".
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited May 2008
With me being so busy lately with work and my art thing, I decided to stop by my local comic shop in the next town to catch up on alot of my regular titles.
Being an artist, I'm a firm believer in if the cover looks good, the customer will at least stop and pick it up...I thought this one looked so good that I had to have it. And I've been ticked off at Stark in the comics for the last 3-5 years. This story may suck but man...THAT COVER! B-)
Eat your heart out James Bond...
IRON MAN: Viva Las Vegas #1
Written by Jon Favreau
This should be a friggin' poster I swear. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Nice pic, except for all the tattoos. I know I'm hopelessly archaic, but tattoos on women (yes, even in comics) are a MAJOR turn-off for me, especially the large ones.
*** FANBOY ALERT ***
Maybe he just knows how to manipulate adamantium (like Stryker in X-Men 2). Or he's analysing it for S.H.I.E.L.D. or some other agency.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Nice pic, except for all the tattoos. I know I'm hopelessly archaic, but tattoos on women (yes, even in comics) are a MAJOR turn-off for me, especially the large ones.
Yes, Tony, I agree with you on the tats but it's not like you're looking for a woman to settle down with and call Mrs. DP. )
Just block that part out and REACH your objective...even in comics.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
It is indeed a great poster. Oh, and unlike Tony, let me just say that I love tattoos on women! )
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
There's a new interview with Jon Favreau over at IGN in which he talks about Iron Man, the forthcoming DVD, and the inevitable sequel and how it fits into Marvel's long term strategy. He makes some interesting comments on the Demon in a Bottle storyline and how it may or may not happen. It's a pretty good read; here's the link:
Comments
As a matter of fact ... YES!
There were also definitely some little hints dropped during the film that would suggest the Mandarin is lurking behind the scenes. And like my brother says, they'll probably update him a bit and make him more geographically neutral.
It's not that the villains are lame; actually most of them have some pretty interesting abilities that would translate well visually to the screen. It's their costumes and presentations that are lame. I wouldn't be surprised if we get another villain from the books, suitably made over so as to not be so outlandish. Tweaked versions of Firebrand or the Living Laser could both be interesting henchmen given their respective powers. Another angle that might be interesting is if the Mandarin unleashes Ultimo as a doomsday weapon against the west.
After all, if you're going to have both Iron Man and War Machine flying around, you need some suitable adversaries for them to confront.
Having Iron Man square off against the Hulk would be fun, and I wouldn't be surprised if we get something like that in the first act of an Avengers movie.
I want Aunt May to have a cameo in thie next one as an innocent bystander while IM's fighting whomever in New York.
I can see it now- a large piece of a crumbling building, during a colossal melee, comes falling down towards her only for IM to rescue her within the blink of an eye...
She goes on to thank him over & over and talk about who on earth would've taken care of her nephew Peter had he not intervened. Iron Man proceeds to hand her the toaster she just got from the bank that she previously dropped before heading back into the fray.
*Goes to write the pitch to Favreau*
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
She then steps off the curb and a semi takes her out - RIP :v
Cut to a heart-wrenching closeup of the crushed toaster, a metaphor for all our shattered hopes and dreams.
Man...you guys are cruel to off an old lady...Shame.
Lately I cannot read a Spider-Man comic book without thinking of how Tony loathes over the subtext. I usually start laughing.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
http://freakcomics.com/2007/07/12/8-reasons-why-aunt-may-must-die/
If that’s not deserving of death, I don’t know what is!
I just passed this along to the Marvel sisters.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
The very one she had installed by Electro (who was posing as an unlicensed electrician) so she could save a few dollars for Peter's college fund. The poor old bag. So sad.
Serves her right, the old miser
IRON MAN II - APRIL 30, 2010!!!!
I thought it went slightly flat in the last act
from where we knew that Bridges was a bad guy
, the main problem being (bizarrely) that the scenes without Iron Man in i.e. where Downey got to be onscreen, were better than the ones with him in the suit. Stark's more interesting to watch than Iron Man (although it's refreshing to see a superhero where there's no difference between the superhero and the secret identity; it's just him in a suit). The action scenes weren't bad at all, but the Stark scenes were just better.
Amazing that it's done so well- is it just good timing? It's the first of the big films this year, after all. I don't imagine it's because the audience have been dying to see Iron Man up on the big screen; I like to think that it's the amazing cast: people know quality.
Not desperate to see the Dark Knight. I'd rather watch Iron Man again, to be honest.
Well, be fair: Iron Man was made six years after Spider Man! I imagine that the effects in Crystal Skull might just be more convincing than those in Temple of Doom!
Two-year turnaround...I like it B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
Is this the best comic book movie ever made? Not by a longshot. BB kills it in terms of story. To be honest, IM is INCREDIBLY formulaic and quite predictable. I also think it was too short - not enough Mark 3. But the cast really did make up for it, and that made the film quite special. In fact, I'm going to go on a limb and say Downey Jr. is the BEST cast superhero EVER. Better than Bale, better than McGuire, etc. He MADE the film, plain and simple. He took the predictable storyline and made it incredible.
I can't wait for the sequel. Now I'm not really up on IM storylines, and I know War Machine is a good guy, but doesn't Rhodes eventually turn bad? Wouldn't Iron Man vs. War Machine be cool? For instance, how about this (kind of a rewritten IM history): Stark's alcoholism gets worse, passes IM on to Rhodes. Rhodes upgrades the IM suit eventually to War Machine, but eventually gets caught up in the drama and eventually starts killing people and being too harsh (think Azbats). So, with the help of Pepper, Stark has to get his act together and reclaim the Iron Man mantle. Thoughts? This might be better as the third film rather than the second. It may be too early for the alcoholism.
Also, in regards to the trailers shown, TDK of course looks incredible. Indiana Jones looks... well... fake and not very good. Hulk looks better than I thought, kind of like a Jason Bourne set in the Marvel universe. However, Abomination just looks gross. But Hulk looks better than I expected.
As to Jim Rhodes, I don't think he ever became an out and out villain in the comics. There was a period where he was being more aggressive than usual and Stark determined that it was due to the armor not being properly calibrated for him. It will be interesting to see how they get him into the suit and what he does after he gets it.
Interestingly, John Favreau has still not been signed up for a sequel. Unlike Downey, Howard and Paltrow (who all have 3 picture deals) Favreau was only signed on for one movie and has not yet been approached by Marvel. Given his enthusiasm for the character and the accolades he's received, I think it's only a matter of time before Marvel signs him up again. Unless of course they don't like the direction he wants to go with the next one - Favreau has stated that he wants to adapt the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline and while that may make for good drama, it may not be the best recipe for summer blockbuster success. In addition to tackling Stark's alcoholism, the storyline also involved corporate intrigue with business rival Justin Hammer taking over Stark Enterprises; that part of the story is a little too similar to what Obidiah Stane was up to in the first movie.
Incidentally, Iron Man had another good weekend at the boxoffice, taking in an additional $31 million in the USA and $42 million overseas. It's now made close to $430 million in just 17 days.
Iron Man has coasted over the 200 million dollar mark and is showing no signs of slowing up anytime soon...although Indy might have something to say about that. Note that I did say: MIGHT.
I still think that IM wasn't a sensational accomplishment as far as comic book films go but it's now in my top 5 of the genre and I'll be buying the DVD when it's available. 85-90% of the credit still goes to Downey IMO. He is Tony Stark.
With San Diego's Comic Con just weeks away, I really hope that Warner/DC has some major news to report about upcoming projects that will get fans cranked up about because they are the laughing stock of several fanboy websites all over.
Give me Flash, Green Lantern or SHAZAM! Even though I don't mind, I think that it would be unwise for them to appease the fans with more Batman and Superman projects when they are sitting on such an arsenal of material.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
I stumbled upon a blog that says you can spot Captain America's shield in the IM movie. I don't know if this image has been doctored in any way. We'll need an eagle-eyed moviegoer to catch it for real in order to verify...
Feige also said that negotiations are underway with John Favreau to direct the sequel and should be wrapped up "soon".
Being an artist, I'm a firm believer in if the cover looks good, the customer will at least stop and pick it up...I thought this one looked so good that I had to have it. And I've been ticked off at Stark in the comics for the last 3-5 years. This story may suck but man...THAT COVER! B-)
Eat your heart out James Bond...
IRON MAN: Viva Las Vegas #1
Written by Jon Favreau
This should be a friggin' poster I swear. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
So this means that Stark invents adamantium?
Nice pic, except for all the tattoos. I know I'm hopelessly archaic, but tattoos on women (yes, even in comics) are a MAJOR turn-off for me, especially the large ones.
*** FANBOY ALERT ***
Maybe he just knows how to manipulate adamantium (like Stryker in X-Men 2). Or he's analysing it for S.H.I.E.L.D. or some other agency.
Yes, Tony, I agree with you on the tats but it's not like you're looking for a woman to settle down with and call Mrs. DP.
Just block that part out and REACH your objective...even in comics.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
http://movies.ign.com/articles/879/879387p1.html