The Chicago Sun-Times recently spoke with the Iron Man star and managed to pry some details about the sequel to the hit film out of him; Movie Hole also asked Downey about Iron Man 2 and got more than they bargained for when the actor went on a tirade, slamming DC Comics and the runaway success of The Dark Knight.
|
|
“You want some plot secrets? Okay, here we go,” Downey said in an interview [with The Chicago Sun-Times] this weekend. “If he said he’s Iron Man in the first film, it’s one thing to say it and another thing to evolve to a point where you can live in a heroic fashion.”
Downey added, “Our goal is also more of the same in ‘Iron Man 2.’ We want to do what worked for us last time. I’m talking about telling more of the story of a guy put in extraordinary circumstances who has a family now and he’s dealing with these forces. In ‘Iron Man 2,’ you will be able to understand various points of view about him that are far-reaching while this guy is still grounded in reality.”
Ok, so basically they’re taking the Christopher Nolan approach: using the continuity established in the first film to logically expand on the plot threads left hanging at the conclusion of the origin story. Not too original, but hey, if the wheel works so well why re-invent it, right?
Downey pretty much echoed his sentiments about IM2 in an interview with Movie Hole, adding that
It’s pretty great and I think it’s going to be cool… [Iron Man has] a very rich feel, because it was a very simple movie, if you ask me. It was an origin story.”
And that’s about when the daggers started flying:
“My whole thing is that that I saw ‘The Dark Knight’. I feel like I’m dumb because I feel like I don’t get how many things that are so smart…and I’m like, ‘That’s not my idea of what I want to see in a movie.’ I…still can’t tell you what happened in the movie, what happened to the character and in the end they need him to be a bad guy. I’m like, ‘I get it. This is so high brow and so f–king smart, I clearly need a college education to understand this movie.’ You know what? F–k DC comics. That’s all I have to say and that’s where I’m really coming from.”
Wow, tell us how you really feel Rob. (It may be time to start urine-testing this guy again.)
Seriously though, I don’t see why Downey is hating on TDK. Iron Man tore it up at the box office ($569 million worldwide as of today,) and basically put Downey back on Hollywood’s radar. What, did that stupid MTV movie award go to his head? Or maybe Marvel has a clause in their contracts which states that their stars have to bad-mouth DC whenever and wherever possible. Hell, maybe Downey is just doing his job
So what do YOU think about Robert Downey Jr.’s kind words for Iron Man 2? About his hateful words for The Dark Knight? You have my permission to sound off.
Source: The Chicago Sun-Times & Movie Hole
Loading ...
209 Comments
Eh, I always thought he was kind of an @$$hol, so it doesn’t surprise me.
he should be happy with how well Ironman turned out. if IronMan 2 has a better bad guy I think it will do better. IronMonger was ok, but he was kinda weak as a enemy.
What a minute, did he just admit that he couldn’t understand a movie that my 10 year old brother in-law could? ouch… what a burn…. and on himself at that…
I thought he was a little more down to earth than that when he was clean. Sad to see he’s just another ego driven celeb.
Honestly, I think this is badass of Downey, I love the fact that he’s picking a side and is a Marvel homeboy now. He’s revving up the Marvel vs. DC Movie franchises and the hype, so good on him.
He’s doin it for the fans, and to rile people up.
It’s all just viral marketing,
@Rob, That makes a lot of sense because the content of his comments seem strange. Of course, anger can do that to ya…
Ha.. The next couple of years on-line are gonna be fun.
I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that Downey laughed after he said that (meant it as a joke), and it didn’t come across in the original interview.
Vic
Rob,
It’s badass to take a side, but not only was what he said a bit unprofessional– I’ll have to go with blipvert and say he just kinda made himself sound dumb.
I like RDJ, never really read any interviews and whatnot with him so I can’t get a big scope of his character ( in real life ) but the comment was misplaced. Not to say being an unprofessional idiot hasn’t worked for a lot of people;
On that note, f*** Marvel, hoo-rah DC.
Rev
“Ok, so basically they’re taking the Christopher Nolan approach: using the continuity established in the first film to logically expand on the plot threads left hanging at the conclusion of the origin story.”
So, we’re calling that the Christopher Nolan approach now? Like he was the first guy to do it?
Last I heard, the “approach” you describe is simply called doing a sequel. It’s not the universal method, but it’s certainly not uncommon.
To be honest, I like Iron Man better than Dark Knight. I kind of agree with what he said even if he was making a joke.
TDK was a well done movie, but I like my movies (comic book movies especially) to be more fun than TDK. I left Iron Man with a huge smile on my face because it had me laughing and smiling and just enjoying myself. TDK made me feel kind of bleh, I thought it was too serious of a movie (Why so serious, right?)
I am sure I will get crucified for my blasphemy but hey, I pay money for a good time at the movies, life is serious enough without my entertainment taking itself too seriously.
Flame on.
I’d give the benefit of the doubt and agree with Vic that this was said in mock seriousness.
However if it wasn’t I can tell you one name who won’t be considered for Batman’s next opponent.
I also found the end of TDK wanting. The whole Batman has to be bad, Two Face a martyr thing didn’t cut it for me. They also could have cut at least thirty minutes from the movie and it wouldn’t have been missed. A very good movie, but I’m not sure it’s a great one.
AHAHAHAhaaaaa….
RDJ rocks. Thats awesome. I love actors who are free enough to speak their mind.
Nice.
The first time I watched Dark Knight, I felt something was missing, but on second viewing, I didn’t have that feeling. I was able to understand the fast-moving events better and it felt like a better movie for that last half hour.
I disagree that there’s anything that could have been cut that also wouldn’t have affected the film’s point detrimentally.
Nolan’s Batman films have always been “about” things deeper than the surface. The first movie was all about the power of fear both in how it affects Bruce Wayne and how he uses it. The Dark Knight was all about rules and symbols. The test presented to those who must hold themselves to standards against those who have none and believe in none.
I loved Dark Knight so friggin much, but I was honestly a little more satisfied from Iron Man. I think now that it’s been 3-4 weeks and the redonkulous hype has simmered down, people are starting to realize TDK wasn’t the greatest thing ever, lol.
Anyone here see TDK more than once? The second time made me remember all the ordinary or not-good parts, most notably Batman’s voice and some of the plot points.
In Any case, the they’re the two best comic films and 2 of the best films of the year. It was a good year for the comic movie genre and us fans.
Shane, I’m not gonna flame ya because I kind of agree with you. I liked Iron Man more than TDK, too. I really enjoyed TDK, but it was too long and too serious; whereas IM was a fun ride from start to finish and had me wishing it wouldn’t end. A LITTLE more levity in TDK (besides Alfred’s lamborgine comment)would have made the movie better, IMO. Actually, I liked Batman Begins more than I did TDK.
As for RDJ….ROTFLMFAO!!!
Remember that through the ages, all health professionals have agreed about the difficulties of getting out of drugs.
LOL
Whos Robery Downey Jr,,,?
thats Tony Stark, talking !!!
I gotta say Kofi, you have a knack for photos. (Thats Downeys mug shot from years back). You bastard !!!
Shane, I agree, the dual boat scene is when i felt bleh.
Iron Man’s ablities are way cooler anyway.
I like this new smileyshade^
I found RDJ comments wonderfully refreshing coming from someone in PC Hollywood.Whats so wrong with someone speaking their mind?Why do we have to agree on everything?Why does he have to like TDK?A little rivalry will only cause everyone to bring their A-Game to the screen,so maybe it’s a good thing,I love it!
BTW Vic,I suspect you are right this was said more tongue and cheek than the article reveals and also more calculating than off the cuff,to put Marvel back in the mix since TDK is getting all the press at the moment.
Yes, TDK was wonderful, but not perfect, about 20 or 30 minutes could have been cut out, and im sorry but the ending was just crap. Iron Man came closer to perfection than TDK imo.
oh and i love actors who arent fake and speak their mind, RDJ is a very good actor and it looks like his bad times are behind him.
If this was just a Marvel vs. DC thing, I don’t get it. If anything, with the re-vamped Batman series excepted, DC hasn’t had much of anything over the last few years to celebrate, let alone anything good. If I were to expect any sour grapes, I’d expect it to come rather from the DC camp. Marvel has enjoyed a string of successes over the last few years and a couple of major ones this year alone.
I think I understand what RDJ’s saying…
As much as I LOVED ‘The Dark Knight’, I think it makes the mistake of looking down its nose at the DC Universe from which it originated. It’s not so much that it’s “too smart” – as RDJ seems to think – it’s that it actively seeks to isolate itself into such a realistic world of crime that A) you couldn’t possibly utilise around 75% of Batman’s classic rogues gallery, and B) the’ll have a hard time making Superman, Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman and the Justice League make any sense in the same universe.
I’d love them to prove me wrong but – then – I’d love them to have made a great, smart comic book movie in the first place – rather than just a smart, great crime film.
You are all crazy. I’ve seen TDK 4 times (2 IMAX, 2 Regular) and IM 4 times. I can tell you: brevity only holds up for as long as you don’t remember every joke. IM is also basically built on 15 min of that armor debut/Middle East sequence. TDK on the other hand ranks up there with Empire Strikes Back, Temple of Doom, Spider-Man 2, and The Two Towers, as a sequel that really raised the stakes. Those IMAX Shots? Works of art. And TDK really does compare to the best American Literature in the sense that it gets deeper and more profound THE MORE you watch. IM will just make you nostalgic for the first time you watched it.
I think you shot yourself in the foot by including ‘Temple Of Doom’ there.
Not with me… I liked that film… but the general credibility of comparing TDK and Temple Of Doom… ah… doesn’t really hold up.
hey i loved the dark knight as a film.
but i’m with robert D.JR,
I’m a die hard MARVEL comics fan.
i read them like crazy & im addicted to the “secret invasion” story line.
but comics alone MARVEL Befor DC.
Kane, I think the route to making the best Batman movie possible is to make it a great crime film. (Best in this case meaning most dramatic and engaging). The approach Nolan uses here, as Roger Ebert noted enables that level of engagement:
“It is customary in a comic book movie to maintain a certain knowing distance from the action, to view everything through a sophisticated screen. “The Dark Knight” slips around those defenses and engages us.”
It could have been more customary, more of a traditional comic book film adaptation, and it might have been more “fun” that way, but it wouldn’t have been as enjoyable (at least for me). We’ve seen that Batman before, and it served that purpose. It still exists on film for those who want that experience, but there’s enough range in the material to make a movie like this for a different, yet possibly even more satisfying experience.
Would this apply necessarily to other comic book characters? I’ll never say it’s impossible, but it would likely be more difficult.
I have to agree with both the “joking” and “appeasing the Marvel and DC fanboys in one fell swoop” theories. If he said nice things about TDK, people would call him soft.
Not disputing that… just saying it’s a film that will cause major headaches should Warner Bros attempt to link TDK to the wider universe (ala Marvel Studios plans).
A month ago, I’d have scoffed at any suggestion they’d want that… but I imagine the success of TDK makes it a virtual no-brainer in the eyes of Hollywood executives. Not to mention that success came around the same time as the much-touted “superhero summit” where DC and Warner reportedly hashed out long-term plans for their comic characters.
If they DO try working Nolan’s world into the other franchises, I hope they do it with some class and perhaps make Batman/Bruce Wayne our “rock” (so to speak) and have him as shocked by the new world as we would be if flying Kryptonians, Amazonian princesses and a glowing green police force powered by their rings suddenly appeared on the street.
Maybe the creators are smarter than I give them credit for… but remember: corporate greed over creative smarts is what led to Batman & Robin.
Heck… maybe the answer to finding a better Bat-adversary than The Joker (in light of Heath Ledger’s death) could be in a new Superman! Batman’s been painted as the murderer of the DA (likely creating a worse Gotham than ever) and giving an “in” to another hero to track him down.
Perhaps that could also answer the questions of how to make Superman “cool” again – put him in a dark and complex moral situation/place – and how to avoid the “third chapter syndrome”.
And the lead-up to Justice League could well be in the Brother Eye style device used in the end of TDK.
Crazy? Yeah… and I don’t even know if I’m being serious… but stranger things have happened. It’s all in the execution.
What's your opinion? Leave a Reply!
Go to Gravatar.com and upload your own (we'll wait)!