The Iron Man Cometh

"Damn! I thought this was
gonna be 'Phantom of the Opera'"
Acclaimed Oscar nominee Robert Downey, Jr. suits up as Marvel's invincible superhero "Iron Man". He plays the role of Tony Stark, billionaire industrialist by day and high-tech vigilante Iron Man as the need-to-take-out-the-bad-guys arises.

Downey is poised to again showcase his versatility as an actor in what is set to be another blockbuster movie franchise from Marvel and Paramount. Question is - can the 40-something performer and known recovering substance-abuser capture the cult following of the Iron Man aficionados and sci-fi curious moviegoers in what is expected to be a grueling summer for movies come 2008?

From Marvel's official website, President of Production at Marvel Studios Kevin Feige said of Robert Downey Jr. that he is "an ideal fit to play such a complex character as Iron Man. We could not think of another actor better suited to bring one of Marvel's crown jewels to the big screen and be the centerpiece of our first independently produced feature."

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Robert Downey, Jr. was nominated at the Academy Awards for his role in the 1992 film "Chaplin" where he acted out the life-story of the iconic silent-movies star. Controversy plagued the talented thespian during the late 90's as he was incarcerated several times for drug-related offenses. Notably, he came out in a guest role in the hit television series Ally McBeal where he was nominated for an Emmy and eventually winning an award in the 2000 Golden Globes.

"Will Downey finally conquer?"

Downey is also a recording artist having performed alongside Sting and Elton John. You can visit robertdowneyjrmusic.com for a sampling of his 2004 album "The Futurist".

Iron Man will be pitted against some very formidable opponents on screen as well as on ticket sales. The Summer 2008 line up will also feature "The Incredible Hulk", "Kung Fu Panda", the Will Smith starrer "Tonight He Comes", "The Dark Knight" with Heath Ledger playing the Joker, and last but certainly not the least, the return of the swashbuckling archeologist in "Indiana Jones - Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".

Iron Man opens May 2, 2008 in cinemas worldwide. See the official trailer at www.ironmanmovie.com.