RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Media Robert Downey Jr to be Iron Man

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1560949/20070131/index.jhtml


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Jun 1 2007 6:01 AM EDT
'Iron Man' Set Visit: MTV News Gets First Glimpse Of Stark Office, The Mask
Stars, director fill us in on hero's alcoholism, friendship with Bill Gates.

By Larry Carroll

PLAYA VISTA, California — He has waged war on terrorists, alien dragons and Soviet supersoldiers alike. He's traveled to battlefields on Earth and beyond and been near death too many times to count. And now, Iron Man is getting his own movie.

And what a movie it's shaping up to be.

MTV News visited the set of the über-secretive superhero flick Wednesday, getting an eyeful of the elaborate sets, high-powered stars and the iconic Iron Man mask itself. If you're a geek, you know how big this is. If you're a popcorn-lover who digs movies like the "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" flicks, trust us: This is the one you'll be dying to see when it opens May 2, 2008.

"I've always been a big fan of comics — only Marvel comics actually, strangely," grins Robert Downey Jr., explaining what motivation an Oscar-nominated actor has to join the ranks of illustrated leading men like Tobey Maguire and Hugh Jackman. "I always felt like Tony Stark was one of the great characters."

These days, Downey is living out a childhood fantasy by immersing himself in that character. Transformed by a sharp suit, purple dress shirt and triangular goatee, he strikes a pose in the middle of the leather-and-glass-dominated Stark Enterprises office. It's as if we're eyeballing a freshly inked comic panel.

Stark's Trump-worthy office is a masterpiece of glass, leather and wood, overlooking a massive mural of a downtown-somewhere view. The minimalist look is broken up by airplane models, a big-screen plasma TV, and a framed diploma reminding us that "Anthony Edward Stark" received his physics and aeronautical degrees from MIT. Nearby, trophies (the Space Quest Award) and books ("The Tao of Physics") remind us that we're dealing with a hero as agile mentally as he is physically. To drive that point home — almost too hilariously — is a Photoshopped picture of a teenage Downey hanging with an '80s-era Bill Gates.

"[Stark is] a bit conflicted about the ramifications of weapons and what it means [to build them] in today's temperature and political climate," Downey explains. "And then he does something unusual."

As fans of the invincible one know, that unusual action yields an impregnable, red-and-gold suit of armor that blesses him with powers to rival any superhero. And when director Jon Favreau (see "Have Doubts About The 'Iron Man' Movie? Jon Favreau Wants To Hear Them") walks in carrying the trademark mask, the chills are reminiscent of the first time you saw Superman fly across a movie screen or Spidey slinging his web.

"We picked Robert because of his acting ability — and when you put this on, it really shines through," the "Swingers" star-turned-director beams, teasing Downey.

Activating a button near the mask, the Iron icon springs to life, shining lights out of each eye. Sleek, metallic and intimidating, the mask walks a fine line between the practicality of Green Goblin and the homespun warmth of the Rocketeer.

(Watch Favreau and Downey show off the high-tech headpiece.)

"The part that attracts me to Iron Man is he's not really a superhero," Favreau explains. "He's just an inventor and a normal mortal who wasn't bit by a radioactive bug or shot with gamma rays or anything. He's a guy who invents a suit, and he uses his mind to create the persona of the superhero he plays."

As for the rest of the outfit, Downey reveals that it takes three men to put it on him, while Favreau adds: "Robert is very good with the suit. ... [Iron Man] flies, he can shoot repulsor beams out of the palms of his hands and out of his chest. He has a lot of little gadgets that are rigged up into the armor, using other Stark technologies that are used on weapons systems for aircraft."

On this day, a dark-haired Gwyneth Paltrow (as sharp-tongued secretary Pepper Potts) and chrome-domed Jeff Bridges (Stark rival Obadiah Stane) are having an intense conversation at Stark's computer. In the adjoining entranceway, two elevators are accompanied by a green-and-gold bust of Tony's deceased dad Howard Stark, founder of Stark Industries.

"What is he up against? His biggest enemy?" Favreau says, stuttering slightly while avoiding the sinister presence of a nearby Bridges. "I don't want to ruin the movie, but it's himself. It's true."

For Exhibit A, you need look no further than the half-filled decanter of whiskey, sitting on Stark's table alongside cocktail glasses and a bucket of ice. Exhibit B can be found in Stark's basement factory set, located a few hundred feet across the soundstage: Mixed in with the machinery, classic cars and blueprints is a stocked fridge brimming with chilled martini glasses, olives and enough liquor to fuel a young Hollywood bash. In case you haven't figured it out, Stark's alcoholism is being foreshadowed for future films.

(See Tony Stark panic at a party in this behind-the-scenes preview.)

"He's a billionaire weapons industrialist manufacturer," Downey says of the territory they'll mine. "And [we'll also get into] all the other stuff that most people know."

Which includes the "Iron Man" origin story — now updated from Vietnam to Iraq — that features Stark's capture, torture and escape as a prisoner of war. On this soundstage, between the Stark Enterprises set and Tony's basement factory — which contains his silver Audi R-8, several vintage Harleys, a custom hot-rod with the license plate "STARK 5" (Favreau's real wheels) and an old-school oil-can collection — is an enormous Iraqi cave with man-size holes blown into the sides. Largely the site of the film's first act, it stands near another set designed to look like an airplane cabin.

(Watch Howard shoot, Downey duck and Favreau having a blast on set.)

"We're right in the middle of [filming], so we're right in the thick of things," says Favreau, who uses a personalized bicycle to shuttle between the sets of the huge stage. "And a lot of the cooler stuff on these films happens much later. We have [special-effects studio Industrial Light and Magic] working on the film, doing a lot of the CGI work, and I'm only seeing animatics of that."

So what's going on here is mostly heavy-duty acting, performed by respected thespians like Downey, Paltrow, Bridges and Terrence Howard (see "Terrence Howard Reveals Power-Thirsty Side Of Iron Man's Sidekick"). But later on, once Favreau's effects team gets to work, the director reveals that one scene in particular will unleash the full capabilities of the suit.

"From what I've seen, one of the most spectacular sequences has Iron Man flying and dog-fighting with F-22 jet fighters," Favreau beams, proud as a papa. "[He battles] the Raptors, the state-of-the-art for weapons technology."

"But sadly," Downey adds, brandishing a smile, "they're no match for the suit."

After 44 years of waiting, maybe — just maybe — we can hang in there for 12 more months.

AICN is reporting that Nick Fury will be a character in the new "Iron Man" movie and that he is being played by none other than Samuel L. Jackson.

If that's true, then the circle is complete....and hilarious!

"I want these fuckin Hydras off this muthafuckin Helicarrier!"

Favreau cut a special trailer for Comic Con. I'm looking to see if someone put it up on YouTube, but no luck on that yet. Here's what was said about the Iron Man panel:

• After a bunch of movies were hyped-up at the Paramount panel at Comic-Con International (we'll have more on them soon), they announced that as a special treat, they'd be showing "test animation" from Jon Favreau's Iron Man instead of making everyone wait until Saturday. It was obviously a gag as they started to show cheesy animation from the '60s cartoon and after a bit of that (and a lot of laughter from the packed auditorium), director Jon Favreau came out with his video camera in hand, shooting the audience and saying that he wanted to make sure to put it onto YouTube before anyone else could. Yup, we'd been Punk'd but we were given a special treat for the trouble.
  
  Without much urging, he agreed to show some footage, actually a rough trailer, for the movie, rather than making everyone wait until Saturday to see Iron Man in action. It went by fairly quickly but this is what we remember:
  
  Warning, Spoiler:

  The footage starts with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark addressing soldiers with a speech which is paraphrased here: "Is it better to be feared than respected? I say, 'Is it too much to ask for both?' With that in mind, I humbly present the crown jewel of Stark Industries' Freedom Line. It's the first missile system to incorporate our proprietary repulsor technology." He then says something about the best weapon being one you don't have to fire, but he disagrees and says that the best weapon is the one you only have to fire once. "That's how America does it." It's a great scene that shows the humor that Downey Jr. will be bringing to the role as do the next two scenes.
  
  Then we see Tony Stark coming out of an event in a tuxedo and he's stopped by a Vanity Fair reporter to ask him questions about being a "merchant of death" and he makes a snappy comeback. (We also see Favreau as his bodyguard in the scene.)
  
  The next scene shows a bunch of military vehicles driving through the desert to the tune of an AC/DC tune with Robert Downey Jr. sitting in the back with a soldier who wants to take a picture with him. He jokes "I don't want to see this on your MySpace" page and then the soldier makes a V sign and he says "No gang signs, please." The soldier puts the V down and he goes "I'm just kidding."
  
  There's then an explosion as they're under attack and he runs for cover and then in the next shot, he wakes up in a cavern and opens his shirt to see a round metal device where his heart is. "What did you do to me?" he asks and a man in the cave says, "I did it to save your life," and explains how he has put an electro-magnet hooked up to a car battery to save him.
  
  He then starts building the suit and the next few scenes show him taking on a few Iraqi-types and we get to see the first Iron Man suit in action to the tune of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man." Lots of men are shooting at him but the bullets are bouncing off him and at one point, he swings his fist and his metal arm gets lodged into the cave walls and then one of the guys attacking him walks up and tries to shoot him in the Iron Man helmet but the bullet bounces back and hits him in the head.
  
  The next few scenes are fairly fast-paced showing lots of explosions
  and a brief glimpse of Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Terrence Howard as Rhodey and a few quick scenes showing the evolution of the Iron Man armor until it gets to the most current one. (That got a huge cheer.)
  
  We then see Iron Man in that armor flying with two jets following him behind him and he goes flying off. We see a sheet of metal and a hammer hits a chisel that imprints the Iron Man logo and then there's another shot of the Iron Man armor flying.
  
  The movie looks absolutely fantastic and it'll be great to see this trailer again on Saturday! You can also view a new T-shirt for the movie that was handed out here and here .

From the 'rama: More Iron Man armor images

The footage shown at comic con. Looks pretty good.

Looks fucking awesome!

Pretty good? Try fucking awesome!

Downey is going to own that fucking movie. Can't wait...

If you haven't noticed, there's a trailer on youtube...

in fact...

here it is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVRQjCG8tn4

I've never read a Iron Man comic (other than the Ultimates) and I've never been a fan of Downey. I'm hoping this movie makes me a fan of both.

I think if you just relax and enjoy the comic book ride, you'll dig the shit out of this movie. I don't know what it has to offer in terms of true substance. But, for the sheer sake of a guy suiting up in badass armor and kicking the crap out of things...I'm down...

I'm a HUGE Iron Man fan. I even had an Iron Man site for a couple of years.

Everything I've seen of this film so far makes me happy. As long as it takes iself seriously when it needs to, and strays from the Batman and Robin level hokey-ness I think it will be pretty damn good.

They've obviously got the cast and CG to make it happen.

So far, everything about this movie says "done right."

agreed...

in my high school computer lab they had this poster showing a jet soaring through the sky and it said "you can't do this on drugs."



But Robert Downey jr. proved it wrong.




really makes you think.

That doesn't even make sense Ray...Oh wait...

Oh well, the trailers are down already. That's okay, I saved it on my hardrive...

The trailer is back up on Gametrailers.com

Thank you Chant..that was awesome.

its here as well (film of the film, so if others get taken down, this likely will not)

• Here's one last tidbit from last weekend's Comic Con as I promised in the Joss Whedon article. We've seen the IRON MAN Mark 1 suit from a production photo that director Jon Favreau released a few months ago. You could also see video footage of the Mark 1 suit in battle within the Comic Con footage aired but of course, they tore that leaked video off Youtube this morning. Maniac Shadowhammer certainly helped people out who didn't see the last article in time...He linked it again in the "comment" section on another website. Daforce also sent me a new link of the video footage but I'm pretty sure they're going to get that pulled too.
  
  Still, here's a new video link from a new site to the IRON MAN footage. Let's see how long before it too gets pulled. I hope director Jon Favreau places this footage on somewhere "official" in the same vein as Spielberg publishing his Comic Con footage over at Indiana Jones.com.

This is the stupidest thing that they could do right now. I just showed that clip to someone here at work who had no idea who Iron Man was or how it worked (she thought that he was transformed into Iron Man like magic or something, not understanding that it's a suit). She's now totally excited to see the movie. All the studio has to gain by letting this roll around on the net is to create more good buzz. Free fucking publicity,

the debate between free publicity and content ownership is a huuuuge issue

some companies get it, others don't. remember how bad the wwf and marvel were a few years ago, taking down all those fan sites? matt groening/simpsons stuff was just as bad.

typically, the most tollerant situations are with movies, as film "success" is more and more solely dependant upon box office numbers; specifically opening day. if you have a few thousand fans out there that wanna spread around your word with pictures, clips, or games or whatever, generally studios are all about that.

i really don't know why the iron man stuff is so different.

my best guess is there is a movie coming out in a week or two that was to be hyped for also including the trailer, and thus the studio wanted to control its distribution to maintain the trailer's clout. but, really, who knows. could just be a douchebag decision.

If they didn't want the footage online THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE SHOWN IT AT A CONVENTION FULL OF NERDS.

the first official trailer is here: somebody youtube that shit.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/

Looks like it's going to be pretty sweet.

*Spoilers*

Looks like most of the good stuff they showed before.

looks like most of the good stuff your mom showed before.

... in the butt.

heh

That trailer looks so fuckin' cool. The brief glimpse of RDJ as Tonly looks like he nailed the part. Very psyched for that and The Dark Knight...