Iron Man 2 in 2010? Unrealistic, says Favreau

According to Marvel, “Iron Man 2” is due out 2010. According to actor Terrence Howard, who'll be reprising his role as Jim Rhodes for the sequel, it starts filming next March.

This is news to director Jon Favreau (and star Robert Downey Jr, the filmmaker says) who has stated on his MySpace page just how unrealistic Marvel's plan to have the film in theaters within two years is.

''It’s been five weeks since the one and only phone call my reps have gotten from Marvel. I know their hands are full with the Hulk and I’m sure they will get into it shortly, as they tell me they intend to. I ran into the Marvel guys at the Hulk premiere and everyone sounded eager to get to work on IM2.

I am concerned, however, about the announced release date of April 2010. Neither Robert nor I were consulted about this and we are both concerned about how realistic the date is in light of the fact that we have no script, story or even writers hired yet. This genre of movie is best when it is done thoughtfully and with plenty of preparation. It might be better to follow the BB/DK, X/X2 three year release pattern than to scramble for a date. It is difficult because there are no Marvel 09 releases and they need product, but I also think we owe it to the fans to have a great version of IM2 and, at this point, we would have less time to make it than the first one.''

Favs answers more fan questions too, click here to read

Howard talks Iron Man sequels

Terrence Howard can look forward to a prosperous future in superhero movies, it seems, with the actor claiming you’ll see a lot more of Rhodes/War Machine in future “Iron Man” movies (maybe even a spin-off).

Talking to IESB, the actor said he’ll likely get his own movie after “Iron Man” chalks up a coupla more sequels.

“If they do a 2 I know they'll do a 3, and this is just speculation on my behalf, and if they do a 3 then they'll spin-off into War Machine 'cause War Machine seems to have its own little following. Which, you know, galvanizes my own personal interest in it, I've never really signed on to be a sidekick.”

As for what the next “Iron Man” movie will be about, all indications point to not only an appearance by comic villain The Mandarin but the return of the agents from S.H.I.E.L.D.

“There's been a great deal of introduction about The Shield and where that will lead to. I think we're falling into the tradition of Marvel keeping up with the truth in how they wrote the comics initially”.

In an interview with IGN, Howard said he’d like to see a battle between Rhodes and Tony Stark/Iron Man.

"I think it should be [a battle between them]," he says. "I think it should start that way. I'm supposed to don his suit, be affected neural net-wise, have my brainwaves changed, then [it would be] Tony having to put his suit on and take it from me. And then I come and put the suit back on later -- you know, we build another suit later."

As for why Rhodes would take over as Iron Man in the first place, the actor says it's "because Tony refuses to put it on for a time. And S.H.I.E.L.D. calls and I end up doing it, according to the comic b