Iron Man Mandarin being held until the sequal

[Hunter Rider]

I'm kinda surprised they went this route given that i figured they'd want IM to be the only Armoured suit wearing character in the first movie,often as a story progression battling someone who is a more powerful version of the hero is a later development.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I like this more. As Iron Man's archenemey, he deserves to be fleshed out. Iron Monger serves as a great first villain.

 

[terry78]

They do Iron Monger, will he be as huge as he is here?

 

[FlawlessVictory]

I'm kinda surprised they went this route given that i figured they'd want IM to be the only Armoured suit wearing character in the first movie,often as a story progression battling someone who is a more powerful version of the hero is a later development.

Thank You!!! Someone else who feels the same way I do, or at least made an observation which falls in line with what I feel. Have Tony be the only person to "iron" up in this movie! Also, I feel things may be rushed if/when we get Iron Monger in this first film. IIRC, when Bridges was first cast, the name of his character was not revealed, only that he was a close ally of Tony. So, we will be seeing him as a close ally, then have him turn on Tony, then have suit up as the Iron Monger. I know, BB managed to do it with Ra's in one movie but I feel Stane's betrayal should be saved for the 2nd film.

Plus, it's more dramatic to realize later on in the series that Stane was the one all along who was pulling the strings. It's not as dramatic with the Mandarin(being revealed to be pulling strings all along) b/c he is a villain from the onset and he will never be as close to Tony as Stane will be. Having the betrayal come later on in the series(2nd film) from Stane will really be a crushing blow to Stark(both emotionally and financially) thus his downward spiral into alcoholism. Am I the only one who feels this way?

I'm sure the film will still be great but IMO the above is the way to go. Save the Iron Man vs. Iron Monger fight/fights for later on as I feel those will be the best battles and nearly impossible to top.

 

[Chris B]

I'm fine with the Mandarin being saved for the second film.

However, I do share the opinion that it would've made more sense to have the Mandarin as the villain in the first film while setting-up Obadiah Stane to be the primary villain in the sequel. I felt that Iron Man 2 should be an adaptation of the "Demon in the Bottle" storyline with elements from the Stane stories also thrown in. In a story focusing on Stark's alcoholism, having someone like Obadiah Stane as the villain would make the most sense IMO.

 

[Chris B]

yeah that does work as well. If this is a 3 part arc we are still missing at least one more villian, if they just stick with one main villian for each movie. Any guessing on who would fit the bill along with Stane and Manderian? I am guessing Crimson would make sense with the way this movie seems to be setting up. However, this may be far fetched but I really want to see M.O.D.A.K, but then again he is such a universal villian.

Its tricky because Iron Man doesn't have a rogues gallery full of villains that could cary their own movie. Outside of the Mandarin and Obadiah Stane, you have guys like Justin Hammer and the Titanium Man and Crimson Dynamo. However, in the movie continuity, Stane will likely fill the role of the corporate villain with the Iron Monger filling the role of the armored villain. So Hammer, TM, and CD would seem like repeats. The others like Blizzard, Whiplash, Firebrand, etc. are henchmen-type characters.

I have my doubts at to whether or not MODOK would work in a live-action film, but a terrorist organization like AIM or Hydra could possibly work.

 

[YJ1]

I like this more. As Iron Man's archenemey, he deserves to be fleshed out. Iron Monger serves as a great first villain.

So very true. With all the intros and the origin, a classic villain like The Mandarin deserves the full treatment a sequel can afford him. I hope they're planning IM as a full trilogy.

 

[kedrell]

Its tricky because Iron Man doesn't have a rogues gallery full of villains that could cary their own movie. Outside of the Mandarin and Obadiah Stane, you have guys like Justin Hammer and the Titanium Man and Crimson Dynamo. However, in the movie continuity, Stane will likely fill the role of the corporate villain with the Iron Monger filling the role of the armored villain. So Hammer, TM, and CD would seem like repeats. The others like Blizzard, Whiplash, Firebrand, etc. are henchmen-type characters.

I have my doubts at to whether or not MODOK would work in a live-action film, but a terrorist organization like AIM or Hydra could possibly work.

You forgot Madame Masque who I'd love to see in a movie.

So very true. With all the intros and the origin, a classic villain like The Mandarin deserves the full treatment a sequel can afford him. I hope they're planning IM as a full trilogy.

They are from what I've heard.

 

[Spider-Fan]

So very true. With all the intros and the origin, a classic villain like The Mandarin deserves the full treatment a sequel can afford him. I hope they're planning IM as a full trilogy.

I do, also. Iron Man could make a fantastic trilogy.

While I like seeing the archenemy face the hero on screen (since sequels are not guaranteed), but at the same time they are usually tied into the origin of the heroes in order to progress the story, and often suffer from not being in the movie enough or having an awkward connection to the hero (Joker killed Batman's parents, Dr. Doom was with the FF, Luthor calling out Superman for NO reason in S:TM, etc). The characters always suffer. Now, if they are in a sequel, they can get a story more becoming of them in the movie, and be fleshed out more (usually a good thing).

So, Iron Monger makes a great villain for movie #1, and as a business man himself, he can tie much better into Tony's origin than Mandarin could (I'd rather see more than Mandarin captured him...he could have much better stories).

 

[Retroman]

Mandarin went from the main villain to a villain in Iron Man 2? It's better than merging the character with Stane but i wonder why Favreau announced it at Comic Con last year if he knew he wasn't going to be in the film? If that report and if Favreau had Mandarin then he basically lied.

I wonder what the reasoning behind cutting Mandarin could be - Did he have trouble finding the right actor for the role? Was there a creative tug-of-war about how they'd go about reinventing the character for the big screen? Or was the Mandarin announcement a hoax to hide the film's real villain - Iron Monger?

 

[Chris B]

You forgot Madame Masque who I'd love to see in a movie.

She could be an interesting villain. Maybe incorporate Count Nefaria into the film as well.

 

[Nightwing 52]

Hmm...This does seem interesting. It was believed that Mandarin was going to be the first villain, especially after the announcement at Comic Con last year. Though, that was beginning to quickly disappear, as Stane/Iron Monger has been getting most of the attention. Now it makes sense at to why.

Personally, I'm glad Mandarin is being saved for the sequel. Even more the idea of him being introduced through the first film, and then having an even bigger role in the second. It's far better than combining both Stane and Mandarin into one villain. Mandarin, is one of Iron Man's classic arch villains, and greatest foes. So it's good that they won't be rushing his story, nor the casting.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Mandarin went from the main villain to a villain in Iron Man 2? It's better than merging the character with Stane but i wonder why Favreau announced it at Comic Con last year if he knew he wasn't going to be in the film? If that report and if Favreau had Mandarin then he basically lied.

I wonder what the reasoning behind cutting Mandarin could be - Did he have trouble finding the right actor for the role? Was there a creative tug-of-war about how they'd go about reinventing the character for the big screen? Or was the Mandarin announcement a hoax to hide the film's real villain - Iron Monger?

Maybe he was when they made the announcement, but figured Iron Monger would work better. I am going to guess Mandarin was originally the main villain, but they changed their minds later. So, he didn't necessarily lie.

 

[Vartha]

According to rotten tomatoes. It was decided that if the Manderian is even in this movie it will be a quick cameo during Starks capture, and he will be the main villian in the second.

This is good and bad to me. It's good because I don't think they need to have two villians to start off the franchise and they can spend more time developing Stark and Stane. It's bad becasue I think they got it backwords. I think Manderian should have been the villian for the first one because it works so well with Stark's capture. I also view Stane as more of a Kingpin, Luthor figure. Someone who through the course of a franchise can always be pulling the strings and not reveal his true self till the final confrontation. Which could have been the armor wars.

Well at least they aren't MERGING both Stane and Madrine, to me it's a sigh of relief.
I can wait on Madrine for the 2nd movie, and I agree that too many villians in a first movie leaves less time for the Origin.

 

[S_H_F_4839]

should have saved stane, made him be the one to drive stark to the bottle from attacking him on several different sides, business hiring someone, etc.

Too early for iron monger IMO

 

[FlawlessVictory]

should have saved stane, made him be the one to drive stark to the bottle from attacking him on several different sides, business hiring someone, etc.

Too early for iron monger IMO

Totally agreed! Not only that, but also have Tony be the only man in iron in the first film.

 

[thegameq]

What can I say? Give Favs and Marvel another point for doing this. Hopefully this way Mandarin can get the full on treatment and not half-assed like Fox and co. gave Doom.

What is that I feel...? Is that a small twinkling of great expectations...I feel...? Hhhmmmmmmm...?

 

[fletch1076]

That is dead on--plus it makes sense with the last movie being the armour wars with stane and different lackey's like crimson going against IM and war macchine.

 

[DieSmiling]

Even if it makes more sense for Mandarin to be in the first film, I'm glad they're saving him rather than forcing him in and overcrowding the movie. There's nothing wrong with scaling things back a little and using your head.

 

[Retroman]

Maybe he was when they made the announcement, but figured Iron Monger would work better. I am going to guess Mandarin was originally the main villain, but they changed their minds later. So, he didn't necessarily lie.

I guess but then he shouldn't have made the announcement if they weren't 100% sure Mandarin was in.

 

[chamber-music]

It makes sense to have him in the sequel. In this movie Iron Man is just starting out and Mandarin is a bigger threat than Stane so it would work better to make the seuelo a bigger and better movie.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I guess but then he shouldn't have made the announcement if they weren't 100% sure Mandarin was in.

They probably didn't think they were going to change it.

 

[Chris B]

I'm also glad that they are saving Mandarin for the sequel, it seems more logical that he be the guy pulling the strings since he is Iron Man's arch nemisis, using Obadiah to weaken Stark before he strike's.
Now the question is if he has a cameo, has the role been filled by a non credited actor and who is he? He doesn't need to be a big named actor, but they did get Jeff Bridges for Obadiah Stane, One could speculate they did something simular for Mandarin, getting a big name actor, like Chow Yun Fat and not list him as a cast member until the second film.

I think that it would be cool if they did that, but I wonder if Chow Yun Fat would be willing to appear in a quick cameo?

 

[CinematicESP]

I actually kind of like that they're going with Mandarin in the second film. I have no complaints with Iron Monger being the first villain. Mandarin is bigger and badder anyways. It's kind of like the Joker being introduced in the second film of Nolan's series. It might make more of an impact.

As for casting for the Mandarin, how about Yuen Wah? He's a great Hong Kong actor/martial artist (from the same Beijing Opera school as Jackie Chan).

 

[Gianakin_]

Agreed, CinematicESP. There's no reason it can't work this way.