To paraphrase Wesley Snipes, when it comes to salvaging the "Iron Man" franchise, Hollywood should always bet on black—Shane Black, that is. The prolific screenwriter, producer, and actor is in talks to write and direct the big screen adventures of inventor Tony Stark and his metal-clad alter ego, which definitely is great news for fans of the franchise.
In 2007, Jon Favreau did an outstanding job with the original film, focusing on the origin of the character and his transformation from bored playboy to a man trying to make a difference in the world. Favreau even went back to the original "Iron Man" comic books for two memorable characters, super-assistant Pepper Potts and bodyguard/driver Happy Hogan.
"Iron Man 2," however, lacked the key inter-personal relationships that made the first film so great. It's hard, for instance, to top the scene in the original where Robert Downey, Jr. is mechanically-stripped of his armor while a stunned Pepper watches. That's the kind of adult interplay that was sorely lacking in the sequel.
If, as reported, Shane Black is allowed to write and direct his own material for "Iron Man 3," that could be the ticket to power up the whole franchise. Black's brilliant banter in "Lethal Weapon" and its sequels elevated that buddy film way above the average popcorn flick. Black should bring that same movie magic to the onscreen relationship between Tony Stark and confidant Jim Rhodes.
Black also has the chops to tackle the darker aspects of the Iron Man legacy. In the early 1980s, the comic book Tony Stark relied more and more on alcohol to deal with the pressures of being both a CEO and a superhero. Stark fell hard from grace, and Black could make the inventor's alcoholism a key plot point in "Iron Man 3."
Stark's alcoholism also put Jim Rhodes front and center. Trying to stand in for his friend, Rhodes got a crash course in becoming a superhero, without realizing that the cyber circuits in the Iron Man helmet were slowly driving him mad.
Wearing the director and screenwriter caps, Shane Black could also tackle the legendary "Armor Wars" story arc from the comics. After discovering his armor technologies have been stolen and misused, Tony Stark launched an all-out campaign to destroy any armor that contains his unique circuitry. This put him in direct conflict with other corporations as well as the U.S. government.
The original "Iron Man" was one of the best superhero movies to arrive in multiplexes in a long time. With Shane Black at the controls, the franchise could easily regain that former glory.
In 2007, Jon Favreau did an outstanding job with the original film, focusing on the origin of the character and his transformation from bored playboy to a man trying to make a difference in the world. Favreau even went back to the original "Iron Man" comic books for two memorable characters, super-assistant Pepper Potts and bodyguard/driver Happy Hogan.
"Iron Man 2," however, lacked the key inter-personal relationships that made the first film so great. It's hard, for instance, to top the scene in the original where Robert Downey, Jr. is mechanically-stripped of his armor while a stunned Pepper watches. That's the kind of adult interplay that was sorely lacking in the sequel.
If, as reported, Shane Black is allowed to write and direct his own material for "Iron Man 3," that could be the ticket to power up the whole franchise. Black's brilliant banter in "Lethal Weapon" and its sequels elevated that buddy film way above the average popcorn flick. Black should bring that same movie magic to the onscreen relationship between Tony Stark and confidant Jim Rhodes.
Black also has the chops to tackle the darker aspects of the Iron Man legacy. In the early 1980s, the comic book Tony Stark relied more and more on alcohol to deal with the pressures of being both a CEO and a superhero. Stark fell hard from grace, and Black could make the inventor's alcoholism a key plot point in "Iron Man 3."
Stark's alcoholism also put Jim Rhodes front and center. Trying to stand in for his friend, Rhodes got a crash course in becoming a superhero, without realizing that the cyber circuits in the Iron Man helmet were slowly driving him mad.
Wearing the director and screenwriter caps, Shane Black could also tackle the legendary "Armor Wars" story arc from the comics. After discovering his armor technologies have been stolen and misused, Tony Stark launched an all-out campaign to destroy any armor that contains his unique circuitry. This put him in direct conflict with other corporations as well as the U.S. government.
The original "Iron Man" was one of the best superhero movies to arrive in multiplexes in a long time. With Shane Black at the controls, the franchise could easily regain that former glory.
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