Tony Stark’s nemesis in Iron Man 3 is The Mandarin (played by Sir Ben Kingsley), a brilliant terrorist and criminal mastermind from the Marvel comic books. People have been calling for his appearance since (or, rather, before) Iron Man 2 released, and everyone from Marvel Studio president Kevin Feige to star Robert Downey Jr. promises it’ll prove worth the wait.
Recently-unveiled official character posters highlight important side players in IM3, including Don Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes (wearing his newfound patriotic War Machine armor) and Guy Pearce as the scientist Aldrich Killian, who may be working in alliance with Mandarin to eliminate the competition (re: Tony).
Kingsley’s Mandarin costume takes inspiration from the character’s traditional appearance in the Iron Man comic books (complete with the extravagantly colored robes and ten rings), but it also borrows from the look of real-world terrorists and eccentric war lords. The new IM3 poster adds sunglasses to his ensemble, making him all the more appropriate a villain for a Shane Black Iron Man movie; that is, menacing and threatening, but with self-aware style.
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As pointed out in our Iron Man 3 trailer analysis: Kingsley’s Mandarin seems to have a penchant for perverting righteous symbols (see: his Captain America-themed “anarchy” tattoo) – and the sunglasses in this poster certainly smell like a dig at Tony Stark’s flashy celebrity persona.
Stark himself has been seen sporting similar shades in previous films:
For those needing a stronger Iron Man fix, be sure to check out the following:
- 6 ‘Iron Man’ Armors We Want In Marvel’s Movie Universe
- Four Comic Books to Prepare You for Iron Man 3
- Iron Man 3 Extended (Extensive?) Super Bowl Trailer
Iron Man 3 is directed by Shane Black based on his and Drew Pearce’s screenplay. It stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kinglsey, Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall, James Badge Dale, Guy Pearce, William Sadler, Jon Favreau and the voice of Paul Bettany.
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Phase II of the Marvel Cinematic Universe begins when Iron Man 3 releases May 3rd, 2013, followed by Thor: The Dark World on November 8th, 2013, Captain America: The Winter Soldier on April 4th, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1st, 2014 and culminating with The Avengers 2 on May 1st, 2015.
Phase III starts when Ant-Man releases on November 6th, 2015.
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Source: Marvel
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Looks pretty sharp in a “slightly insane megalomaniac” kind of way. Similar to Colonel Gaddafi when he was alive, just needs female bodyguards now.
Look like one of the Hobbit Dwarves.,..
Looks like someone had a bad hangover.
Best one yet
Stan Lee impersonator.
Lmao!!!!! Good one man lol
dos look badass..
In someway he kinda looks like Bane haha, same type of clothes combat pants, long coat, glasses(mask?) Only skinnier
Just get out of here
Haha! has the rings, now hopefully their powers will still be around too. Also, the mandarin was a terriost before there was a big ‘threat’ or global awareness, I mean Blowing up Tony’s mansion with a Superlaser that he fired from china, in the sixties! if that isnt terrorism, then you dont know what you are talking bout.
Now I wonder when they will show off Firepower and cold blood….
It seems to fit with the first film. The Ten rings were more a middle eastern centric organization. They’re definitely going for a hyper osama bin laden look. Especially with the green camouflage pants. Unless the mandarin is just a title that is used by multiple people. Well 2 months away. This is actually the first iron man movie I’m really excited for.
I like the full, non-poster version more. You can see one of those blue U.N. helmets with bullet holes in it, more of those dog tags hanging from a dragon statue, and one of Iron Man’s helmets under the Mandarin’s boot.
Ya here it is, if you guys here want to try and look at it http://www.slashfilm.com/fourth-iron-man-3-character-poster-features-ben-kingsley-as-the-mandarin/iron-man-3-mandarin-uncropped/
also, that confirms my suspicions that the first extremis armor is going to get destroyed part way in, which I have been thinking will happen… also the dragon statue, Fin-Fang-Foom ref perhaps? guess we will have to wait and see
OR you know it could just be a generic chinese dragon statue AND that could just be any old Iron Man helmet. You know, like from all those suits that we see get blown up in the trailer?…
I read somewhere else that the blue helmet is Captain America’s pre modern day…
Very Jeff Bridges looking from The Men Who Stare at Goats.
He’s “The Dude,” man.
Camo pants and combat boots… hmmm….
you guys should post the full picture thats floating around. there is alot going on in this poster… him stepping on Iron Mans helmet. the cap ww2 helmet, all the dog tags… very interesting
also if you notice, hes wearing starks sunglasses
Can’t help myself thinking he looks like Osama bin Laden on a Chinese fashioned robes with sun glasses. He sure look like a terrorist.
in the full (non-poster version) he has his right foot on top of an IronMan helmet, and that’s not a blue UN Helmet with arrows all through it, its the original Captain America helmet he wore in WWII. (the one he took from the dancer int he movie before rescuing Bucky).
Lots of references to Fing Fang Foom too…
liking it for sure
Yeah I agree… the uncropped version looks more detailed and serious
@Icemanhill I’m NOT tryig to rain on your parade but that is MOST DEFFINENTLY NOT CAPTAIN AMERICAS HELMET!!!! it has a N painted on it and a line to to the left (in the pic) which is probably a U and if I remember corretly CA’s had a STAR in the center! JUST BLOW UP THE PIC and see for yourself, but that is a great poster and NEVER should have been cropped.
Not his Avengers helmet, his WWII helmet, which had an “A” because it was a prop for a USO girl that was the third helmet of three that spelled “USA”, not a star. And I don’t mean to rain on your parade, but that is not an “N”, but a vague shape of an N due to worn paint damage. That’s Cap’s helmet.
im wondering if those shades are Starks
He looks like a real communist for some reason. Awesome poster! All he needs is a Cuban cigar.
actualy, in the comics he hated the commies as much as he did america, they stole his home away from him, and he was always trying to start WW3 so that he could step out afterwards and take over.
Does anyone else think of Aladeen from the dictator?
for some reason I think he looks like a cool Fidel Castro …lol
When I first saw the poster I was a little skeptical, but the more I look at it, the more I like it!
Definitely some very menacing, bad@$$ery going on there. Please don’t disappoint Sir Kingsley!
Those are Tong Stark’s sunglasses he’s wearing.
Sweet! Can’t wait for this movie!!
Hey Sandy, is this RDJ’s last movie with Marvel, or have they re-signed him yet?
I’ve heard he’s planning to appear in The Avengers 2 (no surprise), but beyond that I’m not sure what RDJ and Marvel have in mind.
thanks Sandy!
Rob Keyes said to look for a RDJ/Marvel contract signing this summer! I also read that RDJ does not want anyone else to play Tony Stark in the future, Not meaning necessarily more IM movies but an appearance every cpl of movies or so! To keep IM in his hands, I HOPE and PRAY that is true, I never want to see anyone else playing that part!!
The Mandarin is suppose to be asian but nobody complains, they make Electro an african-american, all hell breaks loose. Americans are hilarious.
actualy, one of his parents were british, so its not that big a deal to have a somewhat british actor in the role
Kingsley is half Asian.
I think he looks stupid.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Ben Kingsley and am not one to immediately hate on anything Marvel, but nothing about him says villain. He looks more like that hitchhiker you always debate on whether you pick him up or not and if you do, the whole road trip turns into a sequel to “Due Date”
Sir Kingsley actually looked more menacing in Prince of Persia, IMHO.
Anyway… is that Tony’s glasses? Why do I get the vibe that he’s actually mocking him with this poster…
Villains tend to do that
I’m usually Sandy Schaefer’s snarkiest critic- but this was a nicely-written article.
Sir Ben looks interesting, but not as menacing as his East End thug look in Sexy Beast.
He’s a bastardized amalgamation of warrior iconography from myriad cultures!
Stay thirsty my friends…
I love stylish marvel villains. They’re always fun. I like this more and more the longer I look at it.
He’s wearing Tony’s glasses as a trophy.