'Iron Man 3' Christmas Card, Scene Revealed (PHOTO); Downey Dishes On Mandarin
To the delight of its fans, the Marvel brand recently released a holiday photograph of its superhero Tony Stark, who is played in the film adaptations of the comic book series by Robert Downey Jr.
The colorful movie portrait features the billionaire playboy in the midst of a snowy landscape with his arms crossed and without his famous metal armor.
In the picture, Stark is staring toward the sky at a slogan that reads "Happy Holidays from Tony Stark." Although the setting in the card doesn't quite symbolize a white Christmas, it indeed showcases a scene out of the "Iron Man 3" sequel, in which Stark is lost in the wilderness minus his high-tech getup.
Downey spoke to U.K's "Nuts" about his character's less than ideal situation as well as director Shane Black's intention to bring Stark down a darker path compared to his portrayal in "Iron Man 2," which was under the direction of Jon Favreau.
"I think Shane's gone for a dark feel in this movie. It's a lot grittier and goes back to its comic-book roots," Downey said. "It's shaped into a really special movie - and Shane [has] been instrument in that."
The latest "Iron Man" installment will also feature the hero's villain Mandarin, played by actor Ben Kingsley. Downey gave his take on the archenemy character and praised Kingsley's acting chops in the process.
"I always think there's something more terrifying about a villain who's a genius, as opposed to just relying on strength or ability," he said. "We all know what a fantastic actor Ben Kingsley is, and he pulls of the evil genius with real terrifying results."
"Iron Man 3" finished shooting last month in Wilmington, N.C. It's set to hit the big screen in the U.K. on April 26 and in the U.S. on May 3.
