This is big news and I'm shocked we didn't break it before the trades. Like, really shocked.
Anyways, here's the report initially from Variety:
In what would mark his first studio film since resurrecting his career with "The Wrestler," Mickey Rourke is in talks to play the heavy in "Iron Man 2," the Marvel Entertainment sequel that director Jon Favreau begins shooting this spring.
Rourke is in discussions to play a villain described as Tony Stark's Russian alter ego, a heavily tattooed bruiser who is in the arms trade and battles Iron Man in his own nuclear-powered armored suit.
Actor Sam Rockwell is in negotiations to play another villian in the pic.
The script -- which is still being written -- is a guarded secret, but speculation is that villain is likely comicbook nemesis Crimson Dynamo.
Rourke goes into the Golden Globe weekend vying for best actor in a role that revived his career. Downey soared to become one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood when "Iron Man" grossed over $600 million worldwide.
Paramount Pictures will distribute the film in summer 2010.
Hollywood Reporter has more on the story, including Rockwell's involvement and who he may play. But they claim Rourke would be playing a Russian heavy named Ivan who becomes Whiplash, which, if they had done any sort of fact checking before writing up shit like that, would know that Whiplash is American and was never named Ivan. But Whiplash did work for Justin Hammer, who could be Rockwell's character.
Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell are in talks to star as the villains in "Iron Man 2," being directed by Jon Favreau.
Marvel has been keeping a very tight lid on the script for the sequel, being written by Justin Theroux, but it is known that Rourke would play a tattooed Russian heavy named Ivan who becomes Whiplash, a man with deadly, technologically enhanced coils.
Rockwell would play Justin Hammer, a multibillionaire businessman and a rival of industrialist Anthony Stark, AKA Iron Man, being played by a returning Robert Downey Jr.
Rourke and Rockwell would be joining a cast that also includes the returning Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle, who is replacing Terrence Howard, making for one eclectically cast summer blockbuster.
Another part -- one for Stark's assistant Natasha -- is still open.
The project is eyeing a spring start in Manhattan Beach. Paramount will release the movie May 7, 2010.
Rourke, repped by ICM, is making the best of the accolades he is receiving for his heart-wrenching turn in "The Wrestler." On top of this big-budget movie, the actor, who will next be seen in "The Informers," just joined the cast of "The Expendables," an action movie starring Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren.
If Rockwell's deal makes, it would mark a rare studio appearance for the actor, who is best known for his indie dramas. Gersh-repped Rockwell recently starred as a sex-addicted con man in "Choke" and an estranged husband in "Snow Angels." He can currently be seen in the political drama "Frost/Nixon."
Well, whether or not Rourke is playing Whiplash or Crimson Dynamo, he's at least a good choice for a villain! I'm actually thinking now that he really could be playing Whiplash. Whiplash wasn't just a female, and some other websites who rely on Wikipedia too much for their info don't know this. Click the pic above for Whiplash's bio. I remember the guy because at one point during my comic collecting days I had over 90% of the Iron Man issues.
But, BUT, they could play with the Marvel Universe a bit and have Justin become Whiplash, setting the stage for two villains. Let's not forget Mandarin who is supposed to be a player in all of this. See why you guys should come here for your news? The blog sites copy and paste too much and rely on Wikipedia for everything.
And like the reader below commented, Crimson Dynamo has ties with Black Widow. Who knows at this point.
This could also just be a bunch of bullshit. Let's put that out there as well.
What do you guys think about the choice(s) in viilains? Comment below.
Get serious whiplash when you
