The is-he-or-isn't-he debate about Mickey Rourke's involvement in "Iron Man 2" thankfully concluded with the actor joining the superhero flick. I say that not just because Rourke's turn as Marv in "Sin City" necessitated further comic book film work from the actor, but because his co-stars on the "Iron Man" sequel all seem to worship his performance.
Entertainment Tonight released yet another video from their "Iron Man 2" set visit, this time focused squarely on Rourke's role as Whiplash, the Russian inmate turned whip-clad warrior. While Whiplash has more than a few bones to pick with Tony Stark, actor Robert Downey Jr. has nothing but admiration for the villain's real-life counterpart.
"It was a big deal and we all worked very hard to make it happen," Downey Jr. said of signing Rourke for the film. "He's a serious actor, he's got a big wheelhouse of stuff. Our idea, and [director Jon Favreau] particuarly being so passion about Mickey being in this, we knew he would bring something to a nemesis character that would make it more engaging and more dimensional and all of that stuff." Read more...
"Sherlock Holmes" director Guy Ritchie is putting down the pipe and picking up the cigar for "Lobo," the upcoming adaptation of the popular DC Comics antihero produced by Warner Bros. Hot on the heels of directing "Iron Man" actor Robert Downey Jr., Ritchie seems to have developed the urge to dive into the comic book movie bin himself—but first, he'll need a leading man.
Casting Lobo is tricky, especially given the WB's description of the character as "a seven-foot tall, blue-skinned, indestructible and heavily muscled antihero." Even if enhanced effects are necessary in creating Lobo's onscreen persona, the character needs a tested actor underneath the make-up... and these five men could very well do the trick. Read more...
When Tony Stark soars onto screens in next year's "Iron Man 2," he'll have to contend with Mickey Rourke's fierce Russian weapons-maker Whiplash. But as tough as he is, there's no question that Stark's Mark III armor is significantly more souped up than what we've seen of Rourke's whip-clad prison rags... but what if we haven't seen the full extent of Whiplash's armor?
A clue could lie in Marvel's upcoming "Iron Man Vs. Whiplash" comic book, a four-issue miniseries announced on Marvel.com that sees the "Iron Man 2" villain pitted against the heroic Tony Stark. The series is written by Marc Guggenheim and Brannon Bragga with art from Phil Briones, but it's the Whiplash character design from Marko Djurdjevic that could foretell the villain's eventual appearance in "Iron Man 2." Read more...
You don't need to squint your eyes any longer to check out those blurry images of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in "Iron Man 2," folks. The official images have hit the 'Net, and even though they're a bit on the small side, they give you a much better look at the previously unseen addition to Jon Favreau's "Iron Man" sequel cast.
So, what do the new images tell us? Well, it looks like Johansson's character will indeed sport a suit very similar to that of her comics counterpart. From the plunging neckline to the utility bracelets, the on-screen Black Widow looks as if she's taking more than a few cues from her comic book inspiration.
Along with posting the two official images, EW's PopWatch has also posted excerpts of the interview that shed some light on a few interesting elements of the project -- including Mickey Rourke's character and the between-films switch from Terrence Howard to Don Cheadle in the role of James "Rhodey" Rhodes. Read more...
Don't let Mickey Rourke's appearance as a whip-clad Russian prisoner fool you -- if you ask the right person, such as Marvel's Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada, you're likely to find out that Rourke's a pretty nice guy.
That's the scoop from Quesada himself, who talked about meeting the actor on the "Iron Man 2" set in his most recent Cup O' Joe column. According to Quesada, Rourke is a far cry from his on-screen persona. Read more...
Yesterday evening we received our first look at Mickey Rourke as Whiplash in "Iron Man 2," and it was a peek that not only cleared up some confusion about the character he'll play in the much-anticipated sequel, but also stirred up some powerful reactions from fans.
While the new image and various reports accompanying it confirm that "The Wrestler" star will play an amalgam of Crimson Dynamo and Whiplash rather than one or the other (as had previously been pondered), there is one big question that remains: was the decision to combine several characters into a new character a wise move? Read more...
Well, consider that one "Iron Man 2" mystery solved. The first official image of Mickey Rourke in costume as Whiplash has hit the 'Net.
According to AdvancedIron.org, Rourke will indeed be playing an amalgam of Whiplash and Crimson Dynamo, melding the super-powered tendrils of the former with the Russian prison background of the latter. Earlier this week, Rourke shed the first rays of light on his role, saying that he chose to speak Russian while playing "Ivan." (This led us to find a few potential connections between his character and that of Scarlett Johansson, too.) Read more...
From the moment that Mickey Rourke's name was brought up in connection with "Iron Man 2," the exact identity of his character has been up for debate. Some reports peg him as Whiplash, while others say he'll play Crimson Dynamo. Still others think it's an amalgamation of the two.
[UPDATE - 6/9: The first image of Mickey Rourke as Whiplash for "Iron Man 2" has hit the 'Net!]
Now, a new interview with Rourke is putting that very question at the forefront once more -- which character is he playing? According to The Guardian, the actor will star in the "Iron Man" sequel as "Tony Stark's tattooed Russian nemesis, Ivan," which is the name of the fourth Crimson Dynamo's father. Read more...
Those of us hunting for "Iron Man 2" news have had to settle for mysterious set photos and unverified concept sketches lately, but a pair of big updates finally hit the 'Net today, courtesy of a recent interview with the Marvel blockbuster's cast and director Jon Favreau.
"Rhodesy is definitely stepping up in this film. Let me put it this way: Tony's not the only person with technology in the film," Favreau told Empire when asked about the likelihood that Don Cheadle will suit up in the War Machine armor. Read more...
While the first glimpses of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury have already hit the 'Net, there haven't been any sightings of "Iron Man 2" baddie Mickey Rourke online to speak of yet.
This absence of imagery is exactly what makes this anonymously sourced tidbit on Latino Review so interesting. The site has posted an image of what's reportedly a concept illustration of Rourke's villainous persona, Whiplash, from the Jon Favreau-directed superhero sequel. Read more...
