Despite being rather busy promoting his highly-anticipated blockbuster sequel Iron Man 2 – which is due out in less than two weeks – director Jon Favreau found some time recently to chat with the folks over at SuperHeroHype about his next project, Cowboys & Aliens, and even a bit about the all-but-inevitable Iron Man 3.
First, Favreau opened up about his interest in Cowboys & Aliens, a sci-fi/western genre mashup adventure based off the comic book written by Scott Rosenberg.
Favreau admitted, however, that it was the mere concept – which is pretty self-explanatory, given the title – more than the original comic book that drew him to the project.
As he put it himself:
“I read a great script and I loved the idea of mashing up those two genres and juxtaposing a very intense alien movie up against a very sincerely played Western. We draw inspiration tonally from movies like ‘Close Encounters’ and ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’ for the alien side and for the Western side we’re looking at John Ford, [Sergio] Leone, and even a little bit of ['Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid'].”
Among the screenwriters that are credited for the Cowboys & Aliens script are Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci – two of the most ubiquitous writers in the geek filmmaking community nowadays – whose work has been met with both high approval (the Star Trek reboot) and, well, less so (Transformers 1 & 2).
It's pretty hard to not have heard about these guys by now.
Favreau also expressed enthusiasm about the cast he’s assembled for Cowboys & Aliens so far, the likes of which includes Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Daniel Craig. Indeed – as you likely picked up from his previous comments – Favreau is very much intent on making the film a true western flick that just happens to feature extraterrestrials as the villains.
Here’s how Favreau put it in his own words:
“I’ve always dreamed of doing a Western, and this seems like a way that’s actually responsible from a marketing standpoint, doing an alien invasion Western seems like something very unique and different in the summer next year, which is going to be all superhero movies and sequels. Seems like an exciting thing that might actually emerge as something unique and different. It’s a fun ride and it’s a chance to do something that plays a little bit older and a little bit more fun.”
Cowboys & Aliens - thankfully, the closest thing we'll get to a western directed by Roland Emmerich.
IRON MAN 3
Of course with Iron Man 2 finally hitting theaters, the big question for Favreau is just what he has in mind for Iron Man 3. Fortunately, the Twitter-happy director did not dance around the issue, nor pretend that a third Tony Stark film wasn’t already a given.
However, Favreau did admit that the role he will play in Iron Man 3 is a bit up in the air for now – given everything else on his docket, that is.
As he put it:
“[Marvel has] asked me to be an Executive Producer on ‘The Avengers’ so I’ll be there to help as much as the director would want me to. ’Iron Man 3′ is years down the road, and that has to reflect the reality of what’s been established not just in ‘Iron Man 1 and 2,’ but in movie time, between this film and that film, is ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ ‘Thor,’ ‘Captain America,’ and ‘The Avengers.’ I haven’t had to inherit anybody else’s backstory yet–it’s just simply what we chose to use or not use from the comic books–so I’m feeling like I’m passing the baton and after all those movies are done, it’s time to sit down and discuss if there’s something I can bring to it, if it’s something we want to do together, but that’s way down the road.”
We'll have to wait and see how things go down in The Avengers before we get to Iron Man 3.
That said, Favreau did mention his desire to see The Mandarin become the key villain in Iron Man 3 – a character that many fans of the original Iron Man comics have been clamoring to see on the big screen since the first Iron Man film went into production.
So what do you folks think? Are you excited for Cowboys & Aliens – or are you too busy waiting for Iron Man 2 to think about anything else right now?
Iron Man 2 hits regular and IMAX theaters on May 7, 2010, while Cowboys & Aliens is slated for release on July 29, 2011.
Source: Coming Soon
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“Iron Man 2 – which is due out in less than two weeks”
Really? We're getting it this Thursday here in the UK, I kind of assumed it would be coming out the same day everywhere. I mean I understand getting Kick-Ass early since Vaughn's a Brit, but Iron Man? That's kind of awesome, we never get the big tentpoles early unless it's a Bond flick.
It's true. We here in the U.S. unfortunately have to wait until May 7.
But, then again, we've waited this long so what's another week and a half?
That's so true about Mandarin considering they mention the Ten Rings in Iron Man 1. Anyone notice that?
I read the original comic for Cowboy & Aliens, and thought that would be a cool movie. And now that it's in Favreau's hands, I'm sure he will make it epic. Good Luck with the movie.
I've already seen some reviews of Iron Man 2 saying it's dull and some saying it rocks but I'm sure I'll love it. Without Favs on Iron Man 3 though, that could be a disaster.
There seems to be so much coming down the pipe that Iron Man 3 is not too much more than an after thought. After I see Iron Man 2, it may wet the anticipation of a second sequel, but I hope it will get me more enthused about the next three marvel movies. Cowboys and Aliens does sound like a unique movie concept and add Jon Favreau as director and I will see it at the cinema.
too long!!!!!!
same here, i'm watching this tomorrow night
so excited !!!!
what part in the movie exactly ?
The terrorist organisation that captures Stark is called 'The Ten Rings'. Presumably, they work for the Mandarin.
Iron Man 2 seems to be a very 'love it or hate it' sort of film. As I Marvel fan I'm pretty sure I'll end up in the 'love it' camp.
The Mandarin. Fin Fang Foom. Extremis. Genie in a Bottle. That's enough material for another two or three Iron Man films.
And they could probably take a few second-tier villains and combine them to produce top-notch composite villains, like Whiplash. This franchise has plenty of life in it. I could easily see them going up to Iron Man 9 if RDJ's willing.
I am just LOVING the idea of him doing the Mandarian in an Iron man movie
Too frakking long!!!!
On just the merits of it I can't see it doing any better than “Serenity” and it had a backstory and a following. Granted Craig “Layer Cake” and Ford “too many movies to count” could bring, with the right story and Favreau a tour-De-force to the screen. Reading the comic and reading the article I have to say I'm glad to hear that Favreau is not hung up on the comic either. It's got a good chance at this point as long as everyone brings their “A” game or it could be like “Big Trouble in Little China” so much potential to be superior but end up lukewarm…
marvel had better use the leader in the avengers film or ill be p!$$ed. then ultron,wintersoldier,absorbingman,and the skrull should show up in sequels. and giantman had better be in the sequel.