Iron Man 'Crimson Dynamo' to Be Mickey Rourke?

While fans wait with baited breath for any kind of casting rumor on the next Batman film - even if it is a ridiculous rumor - Iron Man has progressed a lot farther with its sequel. Iron Man 2 is not only set up for a 2010 release, while Christopher Nolan is still pondering Batman 3, the next Iron Man may actually have its villains in order. Rumors are that not only does Iron Man 2 have two villains, but they are in the process of getting the actors for them.

Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell, who are in some attention grabbing movies this Oscar season, have been rumored to be in talks to become the Iron Man villains in the next movie. Rourke's villain is still not completely set yet, while Rockwell is most likely in line to play a business rival of Tony Stark.

What has been reported so far is that Rourke would play a Russian villain who becomes a superpowered Iron Man villain. The Hollywood Reporter has him turning into Whiplash, a villain with "deadly, technologically advanced coils." Variety, on the other hand, says that Rourke would be the Crimson Dynamo, who has his own super suit powered by nuclear energy.

Rockwell's character is reported to be Justin Hammer, another multi billionaire like Tony Stark. It is not clear if he turns into a superpowered villain.

The Iron Man series doesn't have a famed rogue's gallery of notable villains, for the large part. Few of them are as memorable as Tony Stark is, and most regarded Jeff Bridges's villain in the original Iron Man as the weakest part of the film.

But at least Iron Man may have new villains in place, instead of being caught up in wild "Eddie Murphy as the Riddler" rumors like the Batman series has been lately.

Rourke is no stranger to the comic book world, having starred as Marv in Sin City. That part was a mini-comeback for Rourke, who is now in the midst of an even bigger revival in The Wrestler. A certain Best Actor nomination is likely to come in two weeks for Rourke, as The Wrestler opens in more cities this weekend.

Rourke also is rumored to have taken a part in Sylvester Stallone's upcoming new film The Expendables with Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren and Forest Whitaker.

Rockwell is a well known character actor who has flirted with big exposure several times before, but not quite gotten there yet. Currently, Rockwell has a supporting role in the Oscar contending Frost/Nixon as liberal researcher James Reston.

A late April 2010 release is still targeted for Iron Man 2, with Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow returning, and Don Cheadle filling in for Terrance Howard as Jim Rhodes. Jon Favreau will be back as director, co-writing the script with Justin Theroux.

Sources

New York Observer- "Iron Man Sequel Adds Two Badasses" www.observer.com/2009/o2/i-iron-man-i-sequel-adds-two-badasses

Hollywood.com- "Mickey Rourke in 'Iron Man 2'?" www.hollywood.com/news/Mickey_Rourke_in_Iron_Man_2/5375210