PUMPED FOR 'IRON'
Five bullet-proof reasons we can't wait for the live-action 'Iron Man' movie
By Rickey Purdin, with additional reporting by Zach Oat
Posted 03/13/08
While most comic films feature only one version of superhero garb per leading man (Spider-Man 3 being the notable, musical exception), Iron Man pulls out all the stops with three confirmed models of ol' Shellhead’s mechanical outfit. True to the comics, each suit represents a different stage in the development of the Iron Man armor, from experiment to prototype to ultimate weapon. Each one plays a different role in Tony Stark’s war on terror, and one is even used against him! Here’s what you can look forward to on May 2, courtesy of Hasbro's Iron Man toy line, hitting stores this March!
MARK I
Initially constructed by Stark out of spare industrial parts after he’s kidnapped by terrorists who are force him to build a missile, this clunky-looking suit provides the means of Stark’s escape and packs a flame-thrower, rocket launcher and a tough outer shell. When one attacker sneaks up to shoot Stark in the back of the head at point-blank range, the bullet ricochets back into the jerk’s own noggin!
"We got the Mark I out, which we took a little bit of leeway with because in the [comic] books it really doesn’t make sense that he would make that out of spare parts," laughs Iron Man director Jon Favreau. "But we wanted to keep the personality of it. Everyone was like, 'Holy $#@%, that’s so cool!'"
MARK II
You may have seen this silver armor briefly in the Iron Man commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. According to actor Robert Downey Jr., who plays Tony Stark, "[That’s] what we call Mark II, which is essentially just a slightly less cool and unpainted Mark III." Unpainted, maybe, but less cool? No way. The shiny, ghostlike armor is pretty awesome, and it reminds us of light-reflecting armors Iron Man has worn in the comics.
MARK III
The most similar to the suit worn by Iron Man in today’s comic books, this so-sleek-it’s-practically-a-jet version packs a powerful high-five thanks to gauntlets that emit repulsor rays from the palms and flight enhancers that allow for high-speed, mid-air maneuverability. Favreau says he wanted an authentic suit instead of a special effects extravaganza. "Of course we could do different stuff in CG than [the suit] can for real, and that’s what becomes [a] difficulty," says the director. "You don’t want [him] to be moving around like Robocop, and then he flies through the air and looks like Spider-Man."
STEALTH OPERATIONS ARMOR
Comic fans may recognize the extra weaponry and black-and-white color scheme of the War Machine armor, which Stark invented but gave to his friend James Rhodes (played in the movie by Terrence Howard) in the comics. So is this Stark or Rhodes? "You read the comic book? If you read the comic book then you kind of know what happens," says Terrence Howard, who plays Rhodey. This armor may not even appear in the movie at all, but the figure is a Wal-Mart exclusive.
IRON MONGER
As seen in the Super Bowl trailer, this massive armor towers over the Mark III at about 8 feet tall and looks like an evil Iron Man. "That’s Iron Monger," says actress Gwyneth Paltrow, whose character Pepper Potts is menaced by the villain in the film. It looks like at some point, Stark’s right-hand man Obadiah Stane (played by the versatile Jeff Bridges) follows in his comic book namesake’s footsteps and steals Stark’s plans for the armor, building his own suit to aid in his hostile takeover of Stark’s business…and his life.