At one point in the creative process “Iron Man 2” began with Tony Stark praying to the porcelain god.
The filmmakers behind the blockbuster sequel eventually chose a different opening, but the Blu-ray edition of the film shows what that original scene looked like.
Producer Kevin Feige recently opened up to journalists – including WWTW - to share some tidbits about the new disk package as well as the movie itself via a virtual junket. Here’s a sampling of some of the best questions and answers from the session.
“Iron Man 2” hits DVD and Blu-ray shelves Sept. 28.
Q: What was the decision process that made you decide against that alternate opening?
KF: We debated back and forth for a very long time. While we liked the notion of starting off with our hero in an unexpected manner, ultimately Jon felt it was best to see Tony first revealed on the Stark Expo stage.
Q: As you were filming Iron Man 2, did you think about certain extras you wanted to see on the Blu-ray?
KF: The S.H.I.E.L.D. Data Vault goes back to a discussion we had during Iron Man 1 and was something we knew we wanted to include on Iron Man 2. The documentary was something else we planned from the beginning. As you can tell, Jon was very open to having cameras on set and sharing the process with the fans.
Q: Can you talk about the balance between real effects and CGI … how critical is that to the success of a superhero film?
KF: The combination of practical and visual effects is very important. Jon is very sensitive to shots in which the camera work is done at impossible speeds and impossible angles. Our CGI vendors became very astute at what we call ‘favreauvean’ shots which contain those imperfections that make even a full CGI shot seem practical.
Q: Director Jon Favreau mentioned that Mickey Rourke spent time in a Russian prison to research his role. What did you think when you heard that?
KF: I was glad he didn’t ask us about it, because I’m not sure we would have let him, but he did pick up some great ideas about his character, particularly his tattoos and his wardrobe.
Q: What were some of the avenues and challenges the final moment of the first film set up that were different from what we’ve seen in other super hero films?
KF: The ‘I am Iron Man’ moment at the end of Iron Man 1 was intended to be the perfect finale to that story, whether there was a sequel or not. We knew we were locking ourselves into avoiding any secret identity plots in subsequent movies, which we were okay with because the secret identity trope was never part of what made Iron Man interesting.
Q: Sam Rockwell is an uncommon talent. Any anecdotes to share about his work process or elements he brought to the film?
KF: To quote Senator Stern, Sam Rockwell is a national treasure. Every choice and decision he makes adds to the character and makes the movie better. For example, check out his orange hands in the hangar scene – that was his choice. People kept trying to color correct it, and Jon constantly had to protect Sam’s choice.
Q: Has there been any more talk of a Black Widow solo movie?
KF: We’ve already started discussions with Scarlett [Johansson] about the idea of a solo movie and have begun putting together concepts, but The Avengers comes first.
Q: Tony Stark’s pet peeve of “handing him things” is brought up a lot more in the second Iron Man film, is there a reason for that?
KF: In keeping with the Tony Stark parallels to Howard Hughes and his eccentricities, it felt like a fun touch.
Q: What were some of the biggest production challenges that you faced while filming Iron Man 2?: The Monaco sequence was one that provided the most concern for us in preproduction. The limitations of taking a full crew overseas and getting access to the track initially made it seem undoable. But the hard work of our physical production team, and particularly how strongly Favreau stuck to his guns and his ability to charm the Prince, gained us unprecedented access and earned us one of the best scenes in a Marvel film to date.
Q: What are some of the Iron Man 2 features that ended up on the cutting room floor and would they ever be offered up in a different form like online or new release?
A: While we believe the best stuff ended up on the disc, there are a few sequences that were abandoned early on and are very unfinished… but could find their way onto a 50th anniversary edition.
(Photo: Robert Downey, Jr. returns as billionaire industrialist Tony Stark aka Iron Man under the direction of Jon Favreau in “Iron Man 2.” Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment. © 2010 MVLFFLLC. ™ & © 2009 Marvel Entertainment. All rights reserved.
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