Downey Jr., Cheadle, Black and Feige Talk Iron Man 3

Marvel has been the star of Comic-Con, but this comes to no ones surprise. At their panel, the big guns were out, co-writer/director Shane Black and actors Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle were joined by Marvel’s Kevin Feige to talk Iron Man 3.

During their meeting with the press, they talked about the desire to continue the level of production that was shown in The Avengers, the many sides of Tony Stark, and much more in the third installment of the Iron Man saga.

Question: The Avengers had such great action and set pieces.  What is the pressure for Iron Man 3 to have bigger set pieces and live up to that level?

KEVIN FEIGE:  We’re not aiming for bigger, necessarily.  We’re aiming for different and fresh and new.

SHANE BLACK:  There is an idea about being big, but to me it’s an idea about capturing and doubling the intensity that The Avengersmanaged to capture.  It’s that lightening in a bottle feel of really stuffing so much into a limited space.  We’re trying to get as much in this, as we can.  We’re just looking to get a ton of thrills in a short space, and make a nice little stew for you.

Question: Kevin and Shane, can you talk about the Iron Patriot rumors, the picture that was online, and how that fits into the film?

FEIGE:  The not fun thing is that it’s online and you don’t have a whole lot of control over that stuff anymore.  The fun thing is that the reason it was online is because it’s a real practical suit.  It was on the set and someone took a picture of it.  It’s actually an awesomely designed suit that Mr. Cheadle does get to wear, in certain points of the movie.

BLACK:  The good news and the fun thing for us, just in terms of the fans and the fan blogs, is just how much all the guessing is so wrong.  It’s completely off base.  We should just get someone to walk around as the most obscure Marvel villain ever, or get some costume at K-Mart and have that show up.  But, we love the rumors.  That’s fun!

Question: Shane, you’ve written a lot of big movies for other directors and producers.  Did that prepare you for directing your own big movie? What’s surprised you about being on the director’s side of things?

BLACK:  What surprised me, frankly, was just how much generous help was available to me.  That made it as easy as it could be.  Jon Favreau was available to give me all kinds of tips and advice.  He just made it like walking off of one platform, onto another and gave me the transitional feel that I needed.  Marvel has such an affective special effects machine that they could walk me through this process, hold my hand, and ensure that I was free to concentrate on story and character and scale.  I said, “I want to do this,” and they said, “Here’s how you do it,” and within a week, I knew.  They’re terrific!  They’ve done this a lot.  They do it all the time.

Question: Robert and Shane, how did the storyline and the success of The Avengers impact what you wanted to do with this movie, and what did you want to dig into with Tony Stark this time?

ROBERT DOWNEY JR:  The Avengerseven surprised us, to a certain extent.  Looking back on it, you can dissect why it was the right movie with the right people and the right director, at the right time, and we feel the same way about this now.  I feel that Rhodey and Tony had not entirely been explored as much as they could be.  That was always a big part of the comics, and the heart of it.  We also tried to be practical, in a post-Avengers world.  What are his challenges now?  What are some limitations that might be placed on him?  And what sort of threat would have him, as usual, ignore those limitations?

BLACK:  Truthfully, the way to go about doing a part 3, if you’re ever in that position, as I’m lucky enough to be, is to find a way that the first two weren’t done yet.  You have to find a way to make sure that the story that’s emerging is still ongoing and, by the time you’ve finished 3, will be something resembling the culmination of a trilogy.  It’s about, “How has the story not yet been completely told?,” and I think we’re getting there.  I think we’ve really found ways to make this feel organic and new, based on what’s come before, and that’s what I’m happy about.

Question: Shane and Kevin, Iron Man 2 really set up pieces for The Avengers movie.  How is Iron Man 3 going to focus on Iron Man, rather than setting up the next Avengers?

FEIGE:  This is a very Tony Stark centric film, meaning not just Tony, but his world with Pepper and with Rhodey.  It was important to us, as part of the grand plan, from Iron Man 1 to The Avengers, to build that up.  Frankly, the first step of the grand plan, with Iron Man 3, is to prove they’re just as interesting, if not more so, by themselves, as they were when they were all together in The Avengers.  Iron Man 3, by design, is a very serious character study.  It’s not a serious movie, but we seriously dug into exploring more of Tony, of Rhodey and of Pepper, without calling S.H.I.E.L.D. and calling Thor or Cap.

Question: Don, will we see you suit up again, in this film?

DON CHEADLE:  I do suit up.  There are some different iterations that War Machine goes through, in this film.  I don’t want to give them away, but it’s fun to see those things morph and shift.  The Iron Man suit is really spectacular in this film, I think, with the innovation that’s happened with it.

Question: Robert and Shane, will there be more sides to Tony stark in this?

DOWNEY:  Yeah, I think that’s the big idea.  But also, interestingly enough, this film has a lot of breadth to it.  We realized, at the beginning of Iron Man 2, Tony was dying, and then he had a party, and then he was drunk, and some people were going, “We don’t like him!”  There’s a way to enjoy all of that shadowy stuff.  We just kept thinking about, “What would it really be like, if this guy was in this country?  Where else could he go in this country?  What sorts of themes and backdrops could we explore?”  If you look to the history of the films that Shane has written and directed, there’s a real desire for me, just as someone who loves the movies, to harken back to some of those themes, and they will occur in Iron Man 3.

BLACK:  Although, Tony won’t fall off the wagon.

DOWNEY:  You haven’t seen my rewrites!  Rhodey picks him up at Betty Ford, in Scene 2.

Question: Can you talk about filming in China and how that will be incorporated?

BLACK:  We’re not really going to China.  Can I say that?

DOWNEY:  This is why I love Shane.  He says it, and then turns to Kevin [Feige] and asks if he can say it.

BLACK:  Basically, we’re setting aspects of the film in China, but the First Unit won’t be filming there.  But, don’t tell anybody.

CHEADLE:  That stays in this room.

Question: How do you ensure that this film doesn’t step on the toes of any larger Marvel projects?

FEIGE: Iron Man 3 is the beginning of the next phase, so it will set the tone, in a lot of ways.  Certainly, with Tony’s journey, things could spin forward, but it’s as self-contained a story that we’ve done since Iron Man 1.

Question: How important is romance to the story ofIron Man 3?

BLACK:  The remarkable thing that Jon Favreau managed to do when he forged these movies was establishing a precedent of espionage, high-tech, Top Gun style thrills, coupled with romantic comedy, in a strange way.  That’s always been the mainstay of these movies.  That’s one of my favorite things about it, too.  The romance is definitely a part of it.  We’ve got Gwyneth [Paltrow] coming back, and some time has passed.  In The Avengers, Pepper and Tony are together and doing great, and living together.

DOWNEY:  Kevin said there’s never been a movie like this where the lead guy is in a relationship with the girl he’s going home to, who’s Gwyneth Paltrow, telling him what to do.  However, Rhodes is single!  What are we gonna do about that?

CHEADLE:  Is this a dating service?!  Are you starting something?

Question: How do you guys keep all of these films fresh for audiences without people feeling overloaded by Marvel films?

FEIGE:  Well, I’ve been at Marvel for 12 years now, and we’ve had that concern, going back to when X-Mencame out, and then two years later,Spider-Man came out.  And then, in one year, there were three films.  The trick and the formula is just trying to make great movies.  We try to make them all great, all different and all fresh.  What you’ll see in Iron Man 3, that Shane is bringing to it, is some very unique plot points and directions that were taken with the franchise.  The same thing with Thor, and the same thing with Captain America.  As long as they all feel fresh and you don’t fall into some sort of formulaic mold, I hope [people will want to see them].

BLACK: We were allowed to take some risks, and I think that’s very notable.  I think it’s very admirable, in a superhero movie, to be able to take a few risks.  That’s why I wanted to do this.

Question: Robert, how does it feel to be a hero in all these movies?

CHEADLE:  This better be a great answer!

DOWNEY: Well, I think I can speak for any of us who get to live in this world.  There’s something about it where you go, “What a great opportunity!”  It’s an odd thing.  I take it as seriously as Shakespeare

Lots to say but it’s clear this is a fun bunch, and they are getting ready for a massive film. They have a tough act to follow with The Avengers, and now that The Dark Knight Rises, is on the way, I’m sure people will up the ante even more in terms of comparisons.

Trailer: Flight

Here is the first trailer for Robert Zemeckis’ Flight, starring Denzel Washington.

Pretty interesting looking trailer, and clearly a complex story about a plane crash and the pilot who saved the passengers lives on it.

This is the first live-action film Zemeckis has done in over 10 years, and the second film by Zemeckis that involves a plane crash, the first being Cast Away.

The film follows an airline pilot (Washington) who saves a flight from crashing, but an investigation into the malfunctions reveals something troubling about how the events unfolded. Don Cheadle, John Goodman, James Badge Dale, Melissa Leo all star alongside Washington.

Flight hits theaters on November 2nd, 2012.

Synopsis:

In this action-packed mystery thriller, Academy Award winner Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly every soul on board. After the crash, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, more questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault, and what really happened on that plane?

First Official Set Photo From Iron Man 3

Production is underway in North Carolina for Iron Man 3, and today we got proof with our first set photo.

This comes straight from Disney, as we see all of Tony Starks armor lined up. I’m sure we will find out why Iron Man has oh so many suits.

The film stars Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall, James Badge Dale, Ashley Hamilton, and Guy Pearce.

Iron Man 3 hits theaters on May 3, 2013.

Here is the press release Disney sent along with the photo to announce the start of production:

Following in the footsteps of the record-breaking Marvel Studios’ release “Marvel’s The Avengers,” production on the highly anticipated film “Iron Man 3,” directed by Shane Black, has commenced production in Wilmington, North Carolina. The production schedule will also include locations in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, Miami, Florida and China.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, “Iron Man 3” returns Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”) as the iconic Super Hero character Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Gwyneth Paltrow (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2,”) as Pepper Potts, Don Cheadle (“Iron Man 2”) as James “Rhodey” Rhodes and Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”) as Happy Hogan. Set for release in the U.S. on May 3, 2013, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” marks the second feature to be fully owned, marketed and distributed by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009.

“Iron Man 3” continues the epic, big-screen adventures of the world’s favorite billionaire inventor/Super Hero, Tony Stark aka “Iron Man.” Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing the film. Executive producers on the project include Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard and Dan Mintz.

The creative production team on the film includes two-time Oscar®-winning director of photography John Toll, ASC (“Braveheart,” “Legends of the Fall”), production designer Bill Brzeski (“The Hangover,” “Due Date”), editors Jeffrey Ford, A.C.E. (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”) and Peter S. Elliot (“Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer”), and costume designer Louise Frogley (“Quantum of Solace,” “Contagion”).

Marvel Studios most recently produced the critically acclaimed “Marvel’s The Avengers,” which set the all-time, domestic 3-day weekend box office record at $207.4 million. The film, which is currently in release, continues to shatter box office records and is The Walt Disney Studios’ highest-grossing global and domestic release of all time and marks the studios’ fifth film to gross more than $1 billion worldwide.

In the summer of 2011, Marvel successfully launched two new franchises with “Thor,” starring Chris Hemsworth, and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” starring Chris Evans. Both films opened #1 at the box office and have grossed over $800 million worldwide combined. In 2010 “Iron Man 2,” starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke, took the #1 spot in its first weekend with a domestic box office gross of $128.1 million.

In the summer of 2008, Marvel produced the summer blockbuster movies “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk.” “Iron Man,” in which Robert Downey Jr. originally dons the Super Hero’s powerful armor and stars alongside co-stars Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, was released May 2, 2008, and was an immediate box office success. Garnering the number one position for two weeks in a row, the film brought in over $100 million in its opening weekend. On June 13, 2008, Marvel released “The Incredible Hulk,” marking its second number one opener of that summer.

Iron Man 3 Lands Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall, who was brilliant in The Town has a slew of films coming out to put her on the map.

None will be as big as the third installment of Iron Man.

Now that Jessica Chastain turned the role down due to scheduling conflicts, Hall has signed on to play a sexy scientist, to rival wits with Tony Stark, played by the great Robert Downey Jr.

Hall’s role will be that of a scientist who plays a pivotal part in the creation of nanotechnology known as Extremis.  The tech, which winds up in the hands of terrorists, is a carrier for a viral outbreak that causes considerable damage, especially to anyone who happens to be wearing a high-tech suit of battle armor.

The plot for Iron Man 3 will be loosely based around  Warren Ellis’ six-issue series, “Iron Man: Extremis.”

Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle will reprise their roles from Iron Man 2, new additions along with Hall include Guy Pearce and Sir Ben Kingsley who will play the villain.

Shooting begins this month in North Carolina, and is scheduled for a May 3rd, 2013 release.

More Stars Join Robert Zemeckis’ Flight With Denzel Washington

A film I’ve been following for a while now as it’s been in limbo to get off the ground, looks like the green light is on.

Robert Zemeckis’ Flight is being anticipated already because it’s a live action film, fans will flock.

Denzel Washington will star as a pilot who helps avert a deadly crash, only to face scrutiny when it comes into question whether he was under the influence of illegal substances at the time of the flight.

Alongside Washington, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood and Brian Geraghty are on for supporting roles.

Now we have learned that John Goodman has joined the cast as well and will play Washington’s close friend and support system through the trying times.

Also being rumored for the lead female role is Kelly Reilly.

With an interesting plot, solid supporting cast, and an A-Lister leading the helm, this should be pretty great as it takes shape later next year.