I remember when they announced that they were going to make an Iron Man movie; I was not very enthusiastic at all. It seemed that Marvel Studios had a scattershot approach to producing these movies and in the wake of Daredevil, Ghostrider and Ang Lee’s Hulk I didn’t think Iron Man would really standout. To everyone’s surprise it did and I think it is because the movie was undeniably funny due in no small part to Robert Downey Jr as the narcissistic Tony Stark.

Comic book based movies "usually" lead with their most famous villain, but when it came to the first Iron Man film that wasn't the case at all. The Mandarin - a stereotypical Asian man with ten rings made of ten different powers - wasn't included, but he was referenced in the Ten Rings terrorist group. The reason he wasn't used was because of how hard it would be to adapt that magic into believability. Director Jon Favreau is sure that Mandarin will be in Iron Man 3, and partly because he thinks the Thor and Avengers movies will introduce magic in such a way that Mandarin will be believable in a third film. Here is the interview Favreau gave on the matter:

Fans of comic book movies have been spoiled with more than a few terrific sequels that bested the original. Entries like Spider-Man 2, The Dark Knight, and X2 all upped the first installments of their respective series. Along comes Iron Man 2, which was much anticipated after the phenomenal and somewhat surprising success of the first, two years ago. While a pretty entertaining movie, Iron Man 2 won't fit in the previously mentioned category.

Iron Man 2 was number one over the weekend, taking in an estimated $133.6 million. Of course, who didn't think it would be number one? I wish there was more to the story than just that, but nope, that's all we've got. Do be sure to read our first Iron Man 2 trailer in a little.

Iron Man got a new costume - to the best of my recollection - around the time the first Iron Man movie came out, so it's only natural for Tony Stark to be getting some new wears in time for the sequel. I like the look: very streamlined and futuristic.

"The inspiration for the new design came from thinking about a sleeker, leaner, tougher Iron Man," revealed Fraction. "If technology is increasingly getting smaller and lighter it seems like the Iron Man should do the same: ergonomic and aerodynamic. We were looking for something that felt as sleek and glossy as a sports car Tony Stark would covet. I love what we've come up with. It feels like the next evolutionary step in the Iron Man's design."

It looks like the new armor premieres in Invincible Iron Man #25.

Okay, I got giddy watching the first trailer for Iron Man 2. It's one of the only trailers I've watched multiple times in a row. You'll get to see Tony Stark being his usual cocky self. You'll see Piper. You'll see Black Widow. You'll see Whiplash using his weapons for the first time. And yes, you'll see War Machine in all his glory - awesome. Definitely be sure to watch the Iron Man 2 trailer.

Paramount Pictures has finally revealed when fans of Iron Man will be able to get a taste of the new film (ie the trailer). Since Robert Downey Jr. is the star of the film, it should come as no surprise that the first trailer for Iron Man 2 will be attached to Jr.'s next starring film - Sherlock Holmes.

The official poster of Iron Man 2 has just been released. Click on over to see the poster. Okay, you can "oooh" and "aaah" now. War Machine in the background looks sweet.

Other than Wolverine having the longest flowing mullet I've ever seen, the following trailers for the Wolverine and Iron Man anime films (I guess they're films) are very stylish and look excellent. Here they both are for your viewing pleasure:

Scarlett Johansson is hot...especially when sporting red hair and a form fitting leather outfit. Mmmmhmmmmm. It's not known yet how much a role Scarlett Johansson will have as Black Widow when the Iron Man sequel is released, but the image does a great job of giving me hope that the character is used properly. Johansson certain looks like the character to me in the first released pic of her character.

Olivia Munn - the sexy Wonder Woman outfit wearing, Slave Leia perfection, Playboy cover owner (as of today), co-host of G4's Attack of the Show - has just signed on to appear in Iron Man 2. There's no word on what role or how big a part she will play in the Iron Man sequel.

Mickey Rourke signed on to appear in Iron Man 2 as the villain Whiplash - a mechanical appendage-wielding villain. Well, now fans can see what Rourke as Whiplash looks like, as Marvel has just released the first photo of him. While you can see him holding the mechanical whips, the picture doesn't do a great job at establishing how long they are or how they'll look in action.

Most people assumed as much, but Favreau pretty much makes it clear in a new interview that War Machine will be in the Iron Man sequel.

"Rhodesy is definitely stepping up in this film," Favreau said. "Let me put it this way: Tony's not the only person with technology in the film."

Rourke also talked a bit about his own experience filming the movie and talks about his armor that he'll be wearing himself.

"I'm having the time of my life!" he said. "It's been really brutal, because my Iron Man suit weighs 23 pounds. It's sort of a half-suit, with half my skin showing, with lots of Russian tattoos, because [Whiplash is just] out of a Russian-zone prison."

When it comes to Iron Man villains, there isn't one bigger than Mandarin. You have to establish such a larger than life villain, and so the first film only had hints and imagery attached to the man. It doesn't look like he'll be a major villain in the second film, but perhaps he will be built upon again. A rumor even suggests that the terrorist from the first film who held Tony in the desert - Raza - might end up growing into the role of Mandarin.

"Is he the conduit to Mandarin?" Tahir said. "Does he become Mandarin? Is it just another leader of the Ten Rings, you know, thing? All the allusions [in] my first speech was all about Genghis Khan and all that, which is Mandarin's thing, you know? So I think they have created the character and the storyline very wisely. To leave it as open as possible so whatever they need to, you know, pull from, they will."