Jon Favreau Wants The Mandarin for the Main Villain in Iron Man 3

Jon Favreau Wants The Mandarin for the Main Villain in Iron Man 3

The Iron Man 2 director already has a villain in mind for the sequel, but he'll have to wait to see what happens with the other Marvel movies before he can more forward!

By bsprecher - May 06, 2010 06:05 AM EST
Filed Under: Iron Man 2
Source: MTV

Director Jon Favreau has been sprinkling "Ten Rings" references throughout Iron Man and Iron Man 2, leading many fans to speculate that the ring-wielding villain the Mandarin might very well be the main antagonist in Iron Man 3. Now, in a recent interview with MTV, Favreau has admitted that he has "got to do the Mandarin" in the sequel, but he has to figure out a way to do it that fits into the tech-based world he's created for Iron Man.

"The problem with the Mandarin is that the way it's depicted in the comic books, you don't want to see that. He has 10 magical rings — that just doesn't feel right for our [franchise]. So it's either tech-based, or the rings are not really rings. But maybe with Thor and all those others, you'll introduce magic to that world and it won't seem so out of place."

Favreau said that he can't really make any plans until he sees what happens with the other Marvel Studios movies currently in production.

"Iron Man 3, to pay it off, there's so much left to understand about what the world is going to be like then. You've got Thor, Captain America, Avengers all happening with different directors before Iron Man 3, and that's all going to affect Iron Man 3.

"And what's going to have happened by then? With
Thor, you're going to have all this supernatural stuff happening, and magic. There's a lot of stuff going on in the world; if it's going to match the comic book, it's going to be incredibly complex for a film. I'm curious to see how they handle all that stuff."





Who do you think should play the Mandarin? Vote in Shaman's Mandarin poll below!

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Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 5/6/2010, 6:44 AM
This is why he would be no good for The Avengers. As good as he has been with the IM movies he just has no clue when it comes to anything but tech based powers. None.
bsprecher
bsprecher - 5/6/2010, 6:50 AM
@Hawks: Yeah, not everything needs to be tech-based. Cap's tech shield in IM and IM2 is so friggin' lame. At one point, I heard they were making Thor and the Asgardians aliens because that would be more "realistic" in the "techie" Marvel world. I'm glad they abandoned that idea. At least, I think they did. I hope they did...
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 5/6/2010, 7:02 AM
MANDARIN is a must in IRON MAN 3 (maybe not if its all Tech though).

Though i'd prefer ARMOR WARS, and GUARDSMEN and THE VAULT...



(Could even have some other Hulk, Cap, etc, etc villains in there too!) but hey, it'll be cool!
ElBicho
ElBicho - 5/6/2010, 7:04 AM
Either way, I'll see it.
bsprecher
bsprecher - 5/6/2010, 7:05 AM
Considering his penchant for armored dudes, Favreau's likely starting point for a "tech" Mandarin in Iron Man 3 might be something like this:

bsprecher
bsprecher - 5/6/2010, 7:07 AM
@teabag: Ha! I don't think I've ever seen that version of the Mandarin, but even as a little kid I used to wonder why the great and powerful Galactus had a "G" on his chest.



@teabag: I agree. There was enough armor to go around in IM2.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 5/6/2010, 7:09 AM
BRENT @ Damn hope not, that looks a tad like DARTH VADER (slash) ROBOTECH! : P

As much as i like FAV, I'm kinda glad he's not in charge of THE AVENGERS!
ukboy28
ukboy28 - 5/6/2010, 7:10 AM
i knew eventually that the mandarin was going to be used

brent@ lol man

tea@ good point, something a little different from the same old would keep things fresh :)
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 5/6/2010, 7:12 AM
THE ONLY GUY WHO SHOULD PLAY MANDARIN,,

CARY TAGAWA
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 5/6/2010, 7:13 AM
GUNSMITH @ Yeah, he'd be killer for the role!
bsprecher
bsprecher - 5/6/2010, 7:15 AM
@telavizion: I don't buy that. If we're talking "gods" as in the beings who created the earth and us humans, etc., they are more a part of the earth than we are. They live in a different dimension, not on a different planet.
A7
A7 - 5/6/2010, 7:17 AM
iron man 3 might get a bit repetative if he battles yet another armored villian. Introducing the Mandarin in an Alien or supernatural way is the way to go, then you can squeeze a sequal or trilogy w/ that story alone.
fing fang foom.
EditNinja
EditNinja - 5/6/2010, 7:28 AM
Hehe, c'mon, Fav, you're not gonna NOT want Mandarin for Iron Man 3!
maniaonline
maniaonline - 5/6/2010, 7:33 AM
Didn't they end up retconing the origin of Mandarin's rings and saying they were artifacts form a crashed alien space ship - and that they were tech-based in origin?
Elle1980s
Elle1980s - 5/6/2010, 7:42 AM
Hi @ Gunsmith :-)Definitely agree with the idea of Cary Tagawa playing the Mandarin (its got my vote anyway;-)

If they go with the view of "allowing" magic into the Iron-Man's film reality then it COULD turn out a really good story of Technology vs Magic :-D .

If they can ultimatly accept Thor being introduced and all the mystic elements that go with it, then they really will have opened the door for anything to translate successfully to film from Marvel.

And that would mean no more lazy "Galactus should be a big cloud" not a big alien-planet-eating-humonoid translations to film.

Either way, I'll be excited (I loved Iron man 2) :-D :-D

Shaman
Shaman - 5/6/2010, 7:45 AM
Gun- YOU ON THE MONEY, BRA!!!! CARY TAGAWA FOR MANDARIN!!! Best and ONLY choice!!! ;)

I think that Mandarin fits in VERY nicely into Ironman's world since like Multi said, his rings are TECH. This film will be the zenith of epicness!!! :))

Ryden
Ryden - 5/6/2010, 7:50 AM
"If they created the earth then they are not from it... Alien simply means "u aint from here". Dont look at it as lil green martians...

Most of these different Gods comes from somewhere other then Earth which makes then "aliens""

No it doesn't, when people say aliens in a sci-fi movie that tends to mean extra-terrestrial...Thor isn't an Alien, he's a God.
lc
lc - 5/6/2010, 7:58 AM
looks good well done :)
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 5/6/2010, 8:09 AM
MUTI @ Yeah he'd make a killer DR STRANGE!! (Got him for DR FATE but he'd own STRANGE too!)

Still like DEPP too though! : P

TEABAG @ What you got BARON ZEMO as STRANGE for?!? ; D
DasBoot
DasBoot - 5/6/2010, 8:21 AM
Can a film with the Mandarin really be done in just a couple of hours? It just seems like there's too much there to be squeezed into 90-120 minutes. Maybe a 3 hour Iron Man 3 is needed!!!
Elle1980s
Elle1980s - 5/6/2010, 8:22 AM
@ teabag :-D hehe - was hoping peeps would find that funny LoL. glad you liked ;-)

@ televizion
Yeah, just have to wait and see what happens, but either way i think it'll be good.

Its a shame we cant have Doom in the Avengers, many have always said that Dr Doom was too big a villian to just be a constant Fantastic Four baddie. :-(

And its really a shame that FOX still holds the license for so many X-men, FF, and Daredevil characters.

Comic book films have come a long way since the original X-Men films etc and most movie companys seem to be realizing now that "superheroes in costumes" (or at least somthing that does pretty good justice to it) or more "comic accurate" film versions of a character is actually WHAT THEIR RESPECTIVE FANS WANT" and are not pooped by the general public as being silly either.:-P

@ Leee777
Do you think theres a chance we might see Zemo in Captain America, maybe original in Cap's film and junior in Avengers or somthing?
Wadey09
Wadey09 - 5/6/2010, 8:37 AM
@Multi
about that vibranium comment......
maybe it's because vibranium can retconned in the MCU that it is so EXPENSIVE to create that all of the governments in the world do not see the point of trying to manufacture it while another country has a hundred lifetimes supply of it.
and then there is the fact that Tony created it from a hint that his father couldn't crack. and the fact that Stark wouldn't give this information or the How To Guide for vibranium to the government pretty much makes it unmakeable by any man.
food for thought.
btw Midgard in Norse mythology is said to have been formed from the flesh and blood of Ymir who in Marvel continuity is a Frost Giant which is a completley separate race of beings from the "Gods." or Aesir.
so it is highly plausible to call the Aesir "aliens" seeing as how they did not create Earth.
i mean we call any foreigner an alien. even if they have more power than us. why not an Asgardian?
Shaman
Shaman - 5/6/2010, 8:39 AM
Wadey09- Hmmm... I actually like that vibranium idea you got there... Good job ;)
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/6/2010, 9:02 AM
how about ken watanabe for the mandarin.
also i wouldn't mind seeing any of the following villains.
1.the mandarin
2.the living laser
3.the collector
4.a.i.m
5.hydra
6.the ghost
7.blizzard
8.whirlwind
9.the armour wars story



Shaman
Shaman - 5/6/2010, 9:05 AM
IMO, the extremis storyline should follow The Mandarin directly in Ironman4. Enough with everybody in armors.
SirJediFrank
SirJediFrank - 5/6/2010, 9:07 AM
@TELAVISION: "and they can pull off sum sort of supernatural in Human Torch's movie"

--------- hehehe, man, give Evans a shot! lol! i know, i see him STILL as Human Torch.. (on a side note, it is kind of stupid that Marvel Studios want to make the movies as REAL as possible...and they an actor whom IN THE REAL LIFE played ANOTHER Marvel Character.. weel anyway)

@WADEY:"in the MCU that it is so EXPENSIVE to create that all of the governments in the world do not see the point of trying to manufacture it while another country has a hundred lifetimes supply of it."..

-----------I think Wakanda comes to mind! I mean, it may sound too AVATAR, but if someone like The Red Skull or something, would invade Wakanda for their Vibranium supplies..enter the Avengers (yeah, too Ultimate Avengers 2 dvd, i know)
SirJediFrank
SirJediFrank - 5/6/2010, 9:10 AM
@Elle: it would be great to have Zemo at some point in the CAP movie, i think he is the one that launched the rocket which CAP and Bucky went after, right?.. but NO CASTING has been announced regarding a SECOND villain yet.
comicb00kguy
comicb00kguy - 5/6/2010, 9:14 AM
I'd LOVE to see the Mandarin show up in the third Iron Man film. The rings don't have to be "tech". Alien technology or supernatural elements at work (creating that "tech v. magic" thing some have brought up here) do a fine job of explaining how the rings work. Tell it right and the audience will accept that. You have to have a certain amount of suspension of disbelief to believe that Stark can cram all the tech into his armor that he does, what's a little more to show ten powerful rings at work?
Shaman
Shaman - 5/6/2010, 9:20 AM
SirJediFrank- "I think Wakanda comes to mind! I mean, it may sound too AVATAR, but if someone like The Red Skull or something, would invade Wakanda for their Vibranium supplies..enter the Avengers (yeah, too Ultimate Avengers 2 dvd, i know)"

Actually, it's not too "Avatar" or "UA2". Its a brilliant storyline that was averagely executed but could be improved upon should they choose to do it right. And i think Favreau's the man for the job hands down! Its just highly logical to use and solves many problems IMO.

And as for Cap, you don't need Zemo. It could all be done through Red Skull. Sure its a liberty, but i really don't give a shit for that detail.
A7
A7 - 5/6/2010, 9:22 AM
so many possibilities
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/6/2010, 9:24 AM
yeah, like Multi said, this is first time i've heard Favs say something wrong. Mandarin's wrings are taken froma crashed alien shipe. his rings ARE tech-based...
AshnaVari
AshnaVari - 5/6/2010, 9:27 AM
I'm thinking Hugo Weaving as either Mandarin or Namor?!
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/6/2010, 9:28 AM
also, i REALLY hope they don't make that middle eastern guy from the first one the Mandarin. Favs mentioned that a while back, and i really hope he doesn't do that.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/6/2010, 9:29 AM
@ ashna

lol, weaving is Red Skull...lol
GhostZillaRider
GhostZillaRider - 5/6/2010, 9:33 AM
Hey Everyone!!!
Here's some food for thought.....What if the Mandarin were the main baddie in the Avengers movie. I mean, I know he isn't an Avengers villain, per se, however, he DOES have the power to warrant a team up of earth's mightiest heroes to put him down. And, factor in the notion that Iron Man WAS the leader of the Avengers originally (if recollection serves) and that he's the first "hero" that is approached by Nick Fury in the film universe, hence he could feasibly be the leader, or at least the field leader, of the Avengers. That would make the Mandarin a more sensible choice for the villain choice.
As for the whole "magic" thing, those who have accurately pointed out that the rings are alien tech have basically rendered the whole "magic-not-fitting-in" issue moot. They could sell it as magic, where the people of the countries that are under his thumb BELIEVE that he is magic. But that could quickly and easily be explained away. Simple, yet effective, solution.

Here's my very rough outline of a suitable storyline for Mandarin and his long awaited appearance:

He's presented as a conquering dictator (origins unknown) who has the potential to threaten worldwide stability on the same level as Hitler. (A great selling point to bring in Cap. Hint, hint.) The Avengers are finally assembled for the first time in order to prevent World War Three from coming to fruition. Iron Man is deemed field leader, and inevitably is the one who seems ultimately responsible for bringing about the Mandarin's defeat. This leads into a more personal vendetta that brings him squarely into Iron Man 3 as the main villain, where his origins can be explored a bit further.

I don't know. It's just an idea. Let me know what you think.

Peace everyone. I'm out for now.
Shaman
Shaman - 5/6/2010, 9:34 AM
AshnaVari- I'm thinkin'... NO.

GhostZillaRider- I'm gonna have to say no to that aswell. IMO, Mandarin has a much closer relationship with Tony and those two would over shadow every other team member. Last thing you want is to overshadow Cap since he will be taking over as field leader by the end of the first Avengers film as he should. He better... And since that WILL be the case, nobody BUT Ironman should take on The Mandarin. Ironman can't be on the sidelines as just a simple team member when dealing with his own worst Nemesis. It's like the JLA taking on Joker while Batman isn't the main focus. It's just plain wrong.
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