Sci-Fi Film and Television Developments

Iron Man 3

5/9/12 - Rebecca Hall is in talks to join the cast of Iron Man 3, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  The actress would step into the role recently vacated by Jessica Chastain.  Details of the role are being kept secret, though it is known to be a supporting role. The female lead belongs to Gwyneth Paltrow.  Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley also are newcomers to the franchise. They are in various stages of negotiations to join mainstays Robert Downey Jr. and Paltrow.

4/24/12 - Jessica Chastain is in negotiations to join Iron Man 3, which will start shooting in in North Carolina with Shane Black as director, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Chastain is not a female lead but will play a supporting role.  Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley are the previously-reported newcomers to the franchise. They are in various stages of negotiations to join mainstays Robert Downey Jr., Paltrow and Don Cheadle.

4/9/12 - Ben Kingsley is in negotiations to play a villain in Marvel Studios’ Iron Man 3, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  It is not clear what role he will play.  A classic Iron Man villain, the Mandarin, was hinted as being an on-the-outskirts bad guy in the first Iron Man movie, and director Jon Favreau more than suggested that he wanted the character to get his moment in the sun. Favreau is not directing the new movie but will be exec producing, so audiences will have to wait and see how far his influence goes.  Insiders say there is a chance Kingsley will play the Mandarin.  Shane Black is directing the third installment, which will see Robert Downey Jr. reprise his role of wealthy industrialist-turned-Armored Avenger Tony Stark.

9/28/11 - Marvel Studios has decided to shoot the Shane Black-directed Iron Man 3 in North Carolina, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  The studio had sought to film the superhero sequel at Michigan's Raleigh Michigan Studios, but wanted between $20 million and $30 million in incentives. Though the state did make a matching offer of $20 million in incentives, Marvel ultimately decided to shoot the film in North Carolina.  The film starring Robert Downey Jr. is expected to be released in May 2013.

12/14/10 - Variety reported that Marvel Studios will look for a new director to build the third installment of its Iron Man franchise after Jon Favreau has opted out of the director role.  The film is still scheduled for May 3, 2013.  No reason was given for Favreau's departure, other than that Marvel and parent Disney are looking to keep one of its top film properties fresh and see a new helmer as a way to do so, while also being able to reign in ever-escalating production costs as each film grows in scope.  Favreau is in the midst of editing the sci-fi Western Cowboys & Aliens for Universal and DreamWorks. He is also busy developing Disney's "Magic Kingdom," about a family caught in Disneyland as all of the attractions come to life, that he will direct as a potential new big-budget franchise for the Mouse House.

6/1/10 - Jon Favreau, director of Iron Man, said, “Robert's Tony Stark won't be in 2011's Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger.”  Jon added that it'll be "very interesting" to see how the 2012-due team-up film ties together the growing big screen world of Marvel superhero mythology, which also includes 2008's The Incredible Hulk.  "I'm not sure where The Avengers goes," Jon said. "There is no shooting draft written yet. It's gonna be a big undertaking for Marvel... All that has to inform one unified vision in The Avengers. It's a very exciting prospect."

5/10/10 - Jon Favreau says a familiar villain may finally arrive in the third installment of Iron Man, MTV News reported.  "You have to do The Mandarin," Faveau said. "The problem with The Mandarin is, the way it's depicted in the comic books, you don't want to see that. He also has 10 magical rings, and it just doesn't feel right for our thing, so it's either tech-based or the rings are not really rings."  Jon added that the sequel to this weekend's blockbuster would be dependent on the events to unfold in Marvel Studio's upcoming slate of films - Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger and in 2012, Avengers itself.  "What's going to have happened by then?" the director questioned. "With Thor, you're going to have all this supernatural stuff happening and magic and there's a lot of stuff going on in the world. If it's going to match the comic books, it's going to be incredibly complex for film."  However, Jon said he did intend to soldier on with his Iron Man saga.  "I would like Iron Man 3 to pay it off," he said.

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