IRON MAN 3: CFQ Spotlight Podcast 4:18.1

Robert Downey Jr. casts an acidic glance on superheroics in IRON MAN 3.
Robert Downey Jr. casts an acidic glance on superheroics in IRON MAN 3.

It’s felled the likes of Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and the X-Men. It’s a more daunting foe than Lex Luthor, Bane, and Magneto combined. It is, of course, the third installment of a superhero franchise, and now it’s time for comicdom’s snarkiest hero to face the figurative music in IRON MAN 3. With Robert Downey Jr, Don Cheadle, and Gwyneth Paltrow returning to their roles as, respectively, Tony Stark/Iron Man, James Rhodes/War Machine (here redubbed Iron Patriot), and Pepper Potts/Pepper Potts (somebody’s gotta stay in civvies), plus Ben Kingsley donning a bin Laden beard and a Hugo Weaving/Agent Smith drawl as the politically-incorrect terrorist the Mandarin, and with direction by pop-ironist Shane Black, can this third go for the power-assisted crime fighter break film’s most notorious curse? Turns out Cinefanatastique Online’s Steve Biodrowski, Lawrence French, and Dan Persons form a decidedly mixed jury on that front, differing on whether IM3 is one of the best comic book films to come around in a while, is just solid if undistinguished entertainment, or is an affront to all right-thinking fans of Marvel’s steeliest superhero. The conflict will be resolved with a massive, twenty minute fight scene, heavily enhanced with CG. (No it won’t.)
Plus: What’s coming to theaters next week.

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Black Panther, War Machine in Development

BlackPanther_Marvel KnightsAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios is activley developing a BLACK PANTHER movie.
The’ve signed Mark Bailey, thus far a documentary filmmaker to write a script for the character, who first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 in 1966. The Black Panther has the unusal background of being the ruler of a ountry; he is King  T’Challa of Wakanda, and mythical African nation.
It’s about time the character made it to the screen. The Panther has languished in development hell since the 1990’s with projects at Columbia Pictures and Artisan Entertainment going nowhere. Wesley Snipes (BLADE) was attached to the intended production at both studios.
Interesting for me to note in searching for art that The Black Panther is back to wearing a cape, as he did in his intial appearance.
don_cheadle_IM2MTV reports from Sundance that IRON MAN 2 star Don Cheadle revealed that Marvel is also developing a WAR MACHINE solo film.

… I think they’ve hired a writer, so we’ll see how it goes. It would be a lot of fun.”

Cheadle is quoted as saying that he does not expect War Machine to appear in THE AVENGERS, noting the at the film is already chock full of Marvel character, and that he felt Rhodey (James Rhodes) was “kind of a lone wolf” in any event.
Don’t see the point of a solo War Machine film myself, as he’s basically just a different guy in Iron Man armor. IRON MAN 3 is supposed to be coming in the relatively near future.
However, if they come up with an interesting plot, WAR MACHINE could be good action film—particularly if he’s not just used as a err… war machine.