Iron Man 2 was the final big film presentation of Comic Con 2009 and it didn’t disappoint as director Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow), Don Cheadle (James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes), Sam Rockwell (Justin Hammer) and Marvel executive Kevin Feige introduced the first footage from the film to a rousing applause. Favreau told us some of the footage was unfinished and you could tell in some instances, but not to any major degree. As far as what we saw I will do my best to give you a description, but realize I don’t know the “Iron Man” mythology so I wasn’t able to read too far into things.
This is followed by a Senate hearing led by Senator Stern played by Garry Shandling who was requesting Stark turn over the Iron Man suit to the US government, referring to it as a specialized weapon. Again, Stark isn’t interested this time around either proclaiming one more time, “I am Iron Man, the suit is me.” A few words pass and Stark says, “You should be thanking me… it works. I’m your nuclear deterrent.” He turns to the onlookers and proclaims, “I have successfully privatized world peace!” A line that drew a roar from the Hall H audience.
Next is a look at Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko creating the power core for the rough looking outfit we have already seen him wearing in the pic above. Favreau later describes it as his first attempt at technology. We then see Vanko in her gear as Whiplash on a racetrack swinging a pair of electrified whips, sparks fly from the ground and electricity is streaming across his body with Stark laying on the pavement in the foreground following what I assume to be a crash caused by Whiplash.
This all leads into the introduction of Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer in a meeting with James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) with an Iron Man suit on the table. Hammer runs through a list of weaponry, Rhodes says, “I’ll take it… all of it.” The scene cuts to an impressive shot of War Machine all guns blazing in all directions. It was the money shot of the footage and it brought the house down.
Overall it was impressive, but nothing mind-blowing. Of course, it isn’t as “new” as it was the last time around in terms of the effects, but the big thing was making sure the atmosphere remained the same and it looks like Cheadle will fit right in and Rockwell is just a mere extension of Downey Jr. and is simply perfect casting. Shandling, too, was a fun addition as Senator Stern in a scene that looks like it is sure to draw some laughs as well as provide the moral core of the film.
I am now stepping into interviews with everyone mentioned above and will be back later today with video footage from the panel and over the next couple of days I will bring you the interviews. Stay tuned!
