Luke Y. Thompson is contributing to Deadline’s coverage of Comic-Con.
The Warner Bros/Legendary panel was a tough act to follow, but Marvel came through. A montage of past Hall H guest panels interspersed with prior movie footage was shown, with thanks to fans for making Marvel’s The Avengers the biggest superhero movie of all time, and finally declaring: “Phase Two Begins.” Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige confirmed that the next four movies are Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy.
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Edgar Wright came out to reveal some Ant-Man test footage he shot two weeks ago (unfinished). It featured Ant-Man in a costume that looked like a hybrid of the comic
costume and Ultraman – full body suit that appeared to amplify his strength. We saw him run down a corridor, grow to full size, leap into the air, shrink again, super-punch the bad guys inside their mouths, then return to full size again and enter the elevator again.
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Then Robert Downey Jr strolled down the aisle through the crowd, to the sounds of Luther Vandross music. “I’ve got three questions: how much do I love you? How much do you love me? Why aren’t we watching any footage yet?” The footage obliges. It Tony Stark trying to get armor pieces to fly onto him automatically, which they do, but in some cases too hard. He has an iPad conversation with Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), who mocks Tony for hanging out with the “super friends.” Tony says, “We handled it,” then looks up as a new offscreen threat emerges. Helicopters destroy Stark’s house, sending it tumbling into the ocean, as a voice-over informs us that heroes don’t exist. That voice is revealed to be Ben Kingsley…as The Mandarin. (We kinda knew, but this is the first time they’ve admitted it publicly.)
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Panel moderated by the Los Angeles Times’ Geoff Boucher had Downey, Kevin Feige, Shane Black, Jon Favreau and Don Cheadle. Downey was wearing an Iron Man glove, and observed that “I think every movie I ever do is going to be one of the three biggest movies ever, and it finally happened.” Cheadle will have “more to do” in this one, he promised. A fan asked if Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) will ever get the Rescuesuperhero suit. Downey responded by joking about lawsuits. Favreau said he’d get Downey the appropriate comics — everyone wants to see Gwyneth kick a little ass.
Director Black noted they were halfway through filming. “If we don’t fuck up the rest of it, it’s gonna be great … We’ve got all these interlocking parts. It’s not like Spider-Man 3 where they’re all separate!” He said this movie was conceived as the last part of a trilogy, not just another installment, and ties back to the first one. The alcoholism storyline from the comics isn’t going to play a part – they keep talking about liking the idea but can never find the space in the script.
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Downey said Favreau in this movie is like “Swingers at 40. You’re gonna love it.” Freed up as an actor, no longer having to worry about directing, “like a proud grandfather who doesn’t have to change the diapers but gets to play with the baby.” Downey’s contract runs out after this movie, but said he’s “super-happy” playing the character. A fan in an Iron Man costume asked Downey if he could borrow the suit, to which Downey said “Of course. Be like Rhodey (Cheadle), you don’t ask, you just take it and you never bring it back!” Downey then got everyone in the room to sing happy birthday to a 15 year-old fan who said it was her birthday today.
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Awesome stuff. Love Downey, a real entertainer!
Re: Cap, I’m one of these oldies who hates the whole Winter Soldier thing. It’s one of these new-school retcon jobs that I hate (like there being Red, Blue and Black Lanterns now…ugh). Bucky should have stayed dead! And the choice of the Russos to direct does not inspire confidence! But I’ll keep an open mind, as one must do with super-hero flicks.
Ant-Man beating up a guy from INSIDE HIS MOUTH? Not even Hank Pym in the comics did that. Can’t wait!
…Ant-man?Are you kidding?Guess no one remembers The Atom from when I was a kid in the 1960′s…hey John Favreau, how about making a movie about Ral Thagus,outcast Guardian of the Temple of Ekkran from the epic fantasy novel Bloodspiller?..check it out at Aamazon.com.
Downey is Tony Stark in real life. This is the perfect character for him. Congrats.
Comicbook characters are often played by different actors through the years, but Favreau’s path is much rarer — and perhaps unique: playing two different sidekicks in Marvel movies (Foggy Nelson in Daredevil and Happy Hogan in the Iron Man films). The only other notable person I can think of who’s played different characters in Marvel movies is Stan Lee.
Chris Evans appeared as Johnny Storm and Steve Rogers… Gotta Love Favreau’s work!
One you may have missed…Chris Evans as Johnny Storm(The Human Torch) in both Fantastic Four movies, and a certain Star-Spangled Avenger in Captain America and The Avengers.
Not quite, unless you mean strictly “sidekicks” and are only referring to Marvel-produced films.
Jessica Biel was Abigail Whistler in Blade Trinity, and if reports are to be believed, she will now play Viper as well in the next Wolverine film. Same goes for her Blade Trinity co-star, Ryan Reynolds, who played Hannibal King in that film, and also Deadpool in the first Wolverine film. Reynolds’ case is even rarer, since he played a superhero for a different company as well (Green Lantern). And of course, Chris Evans was Johnny Storm/Human Torch in the Fantastic Four but now portrays Captain America.
While nowhere as proflic as Stan Lee in terms of cameos, do Bruce Campbell’s multiple cameos in the Spider-Man movies count?
Uh, Ryan Reynolds as Hannibal King in and Deadpool in ; Jessica Biel as Abigail Whistler in and Viper in the upcoming ; Ben Foster as Spacker Dave in Thomas Jane’s and as Warren Worthington III in ; Chris Evans as Johnny Storm in the and , Idris Elba as Heimdall in and Moreau in …That’s just Marvel and just off the top of my head…Additionally, Reynolds was (DC), Foster was The Stranger in (Image), Elba was Roque in (DC) and Evans is the king of comic book roles because he’s portrayed the most characters with his turns as Lucas Lee in (Oni Press) and Jensen in (DC). I’m not saying Favreau’s work isn’t notable, just not for the reason you mentioned.
Tagging fail…Reynolds played Hannibal King in Blade Trinity and Deadpool in Wolverine: Origins and Green Lantern; Biel played Abigail Whistler in Blade Trinity and will be Viper in the upcoming “The Wolverine”; Foster played Spacker Dave in The Punisher, W.W.3 in X-men: Last Stand and The Stranger in 30 Days of Night (which also featured Danny Huston who was also in Wolverine: Origins); Evans was Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four series, Captain America, Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Jensen in The Losers (which also featured Idris Elba as Roque, who was also Heimdall in Thor and Moreau in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance).
I’m constantly reminded by myself and others that a brief period of reflection before, during and after an expression can do wonders!
Cheers!
Chris Evans has played the Human Torch and Captain America.