Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau
What a difference a couple of years have made for Iron Man.
"Nobody cared about Iron Man until we came here," director Jon Favreau told a packed house at the San Diego Comic-Con Saturday, reacting to a rowdy welcome much different than the one the first Iron Man film received two years ago. Favreau rewarded the more than 6,000 fans by showing five minutes of footage from next summer's sure-to-be-blockbuster smash.
Check out this summer's must-see movies
The Iron Man 2 clips included plenty of high-flying action, as well as tidbits featuring ...
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Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard isn't bitter about being dropped from Iron Man 2 at all.
The star, who was reportedly dropped from the sequel after salary negotiations went south, isn't shy about his dissatisfaction with the film's producers.
"Marvel made a choice, and it was a very, very bad choice," Howard told Parade.com. "They didn't keep their word. They didn't honor my contract. They produced a great bounty with the first one but they put it all in the storehouse and you were not allowed in."
Howard believes his fellow actors should have ...
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Mickey Rourke
Comeback kid Mickey Rourke has wrestled his way into two new projects.
The Golden Globe winner has signed on to play the Russian villain Whiplash in Iron Man 2, according to Variety. Rourke has been in consideration for the role for several months, but the deal took some fine-tuning after Marvel initially offered The Wrestler star only $250,000.
Rourke, who was recruited by Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. during the awards-show circuit, met with director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Theroux to develop his character. Whiplash will include elements of the comic-book character of the same name, as well as Crimson Dynamo, another Russian evildoer.
Rourke will also ...
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Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson recently suggested he would walk away from future Marvel films, but the actor has signed on for Iron Man 2 and perhaps much more.
Jackson's deal is a long-term commitment to play Nick Fury, the leader of espionage unit Shield, in multiple Marvel movies, according to Variety. The pact contains an option for as many as nine superhero flicks, including Captain America, Thor, The Avengers, and Shield, as well as potential sequels.
Jackson first sent fanboys into a frenzy
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Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell
Mickey Rourke could soon be going from wrestling to wrapping deadly coils around Tony Stark.
The recent Wrestler star is in talks to join Iron Man 2 as a Russian heavy weight who becomes Whiplash, a character with deadly coils he can unfurl with deadly results.
Sam Rockwell is also in talks to join the franchise's follow-up, according to the Hollywood Reporter. If a deal closes, the indie maven (Frost/Nixon, Snow Angels) would play Tony Stark's nemesis, multibillionaire Justin Hammer.
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Don Cheadle and Terrence Howard
In last summer's blockbuster Iron Man, Terrence Howard promised he'd join Tony Stark in his adventures "next time," amplifying fanboy anticipation for the sequel. The sequel may be happening, but don't expect to see Howard taking flight.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Don Cheadle will be filling Howard's shoes as Jim Rhodes, Stark's best friend and future hero War Machine. Marvel is keeping mum, but sources say Howard's return was squashed by disagreements over money and other undisclosed reasons.
See how the role will change now that Cheadle's on board after the jump.
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