Last week we reported that Iron Man's director Jon Favreau (Think Swingers and director of Elf) was zoning in on Tim Robbins to replace Gerard Sanders as Howard Stark, Tony Stark's father. Don Cheadle has already been slotted to replace Terrence Howard as Rhodey whom as all graphic novel readers already know is destined to become the character War Machine.
Despite what is said to be a very tight lid on production and details, PCM has learned that Favreau is in discussions over primary villain roles with both Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke.
To keep things real Rockwell's character would be industrialist Justin Hammer (Hammer Industries), Stark's corporate nemesis, also sharing Tony Stark's lush lifestyle as a fellow billionaire extraordinaire opposing Stark on the business end. Remember, someone had to fill the vacuum as a weapons supplier when Stark got out of the weapons business. Justin Hammer is diametrical to Tony Stark, a methodical and refined gentlemen to Stark's free wheeling Playboy. I somehow don't see Rockwell playing Hammer as a recluse in a smoking jacket; Hammer is sure to undergo a character change for the film. The addition of a mastermind will surely keep the intelligence level of Iron Man Two up to par with the quality story we received in the first Iron Man installment.
Micky Rourke would pick up the cherry role of Anton Vanko, the Crimson Dynamo. Now which of the many (5) incarnates of Crimson Dynamo Mickey would portray is a mystery. Most likely it would be the Anton Vanko version (the first). As for super villian powers, he controls electricity and can fly.
Principal production on Iron Man Two is set to start spring of 2009 as Iron Man Two's theater release date is May 7, 2010.
