That I'm not a fan of the new armor's color scheme is a minor point. I'm still bitter that they switched Mario's color scheme in Super Mario Bros. 2 almost 25 years ago. But while the footage looks good and the stakes seem higher this time around, I can't help feeling a sense of deja vu. Is this not the second sequel where a diabolical villain decides to teach Tony a lesson in humility by tearing his world apart, just as Tony himself is going through a mental/emotional crisis? Or more to a point, is this not the third Iron Man film where Tony basically has to use his toys and his brains to basically save himself and/or his company from destruction? We see a quick flash of Guy Pearce, reminding us that we're basically seeing The Mandarin (played by non-Asian actor Ben Kingsley) tossed into the "Extremis" story arc. The most interesting moment is what is apparently a possibly mortally wounded Happy Hogan, as he's certainly a likely candidate for a major death who's absence won't screw up the franchise too much. Since Favreau arguably doesn't want to stick around forever watching other people take on his franchise, it's a good bet he doesn't survive this chapter. Anyway, Shane Black's Iron Man 3 opens in the US on May 3rd, 2013. As always, we'll see. Now it's your turn. What is the chance that Iron Man 3 can become the first truly *good* part 3 in comic book film history?
Scott Mendelson
Scott Mendelson
