There are many things that Marvel Studios does well, but one of the things their exceptional at is secrecy. They release very little material while their projects are in development and trailers hint at a lot of big stuff, but never paint the entire picture. Such is the case with today’s Iron Man 3 trailer.
The new preview, which arrived a few hours ago, provides fans with plenty of material to sort through and speculate about – fans like our own Eric Eisenberg and Sean O’Connell. Watch the trailer again below and then read on for their analysis.
Warning: What you’ll find below is informed analysis about Iron Man 3. It may or may not contain spoilers about the movie (we have no idea ourselves, hence the speculation), and is instead simply based on footage we’ve seen from the film and Eric and Sean’s collective knowledge of the comics. Enjoy!
Eric: Just to start, can we both agree that the new Iron Man 3 trailer is ridiculously awesome?
Sean: It is, but I can get a LITTLE negative at the start to drum up a little tension
Eric: What were the problems you had with it?
Sean: The typical trailer problem. It potentially shows us way too much. Namely, the end reveal that Tony can control multiple versions of his armor, which had been hinted at in various news stories but wasn't really confirmed, if I'm correct. I think that would have been a FANTASTIC surprise reveal, and is unnecessary in a trailer selling us on a movie we're all going to see, no matter what. But that's a relatively small nitpick, because yes, the rest is awesome. I have a lot of questions. What stood out to you?
Eric: Well, I think it keeps the mystery alive, as it's possible those are manned suits. Potentially looking at an Iron Legion type situation. I think the trailer keeps us asking enough questions to be interesting without being spoiler-y. That said, there are some really big/cool things that we do learn.
Sean: Like the fact that I think we have our first U.S. president elected in a post-Avengers reality … and one who rightfully is VERY concerned about the safety of our nation in light of those events.
Eric: I noticed that as well! And unless I'm mistaken that's William Sadler in the POTUS role.
Sean: YES!
Eric: though I'm curious about how Iron Patriot will fit into that situation.
Sean: I am, too. But from what I can tell, without trying to speculate too much, Stark probably allows Rhodes to wear the Iron Patriot suit as a favor to the government. Hence, Iron Patriot's salute at the press conference. But the Mandarin is launching these isolated attacks, and the world is probably wondering why Stark, who bailed out New York City, isn't rising up and helping until he's pulled in. Which, by the way, do you think you know the meaning behind Tony's "good old fashioned revenge" line?
Eric: I have a feeling the revenge angle is more about the fact that the Mandarin uses helicopters to destroy his cool Malibu pad - or possibly someone close to Tony dying?
Sean: Possibly. Someone who, if they were to die, wouldn't make Tony … happy.
Eric: I will also say that I really like the direction they've taken with the Mandarin, basically making him this publicly known terrorist a la Osama bin Laden.
Sean: I agree. And there's still a LOT of mystery surrounding Guy Pearce's role in the sequel. So I'm happy about that.
Eric: Same, to the point where I don't even want to guess. haha
Sean: Let's talk about Shane Black for a moment. I don't think that the action has taken a step back. In fact, new shots included in this trailer from the Air Force One attack and the destruction of Tony's Malibu mansion only make me think Black's doing a better job on the action sequences than Favreau did in Iron Man and Iron Man 2. It's damn-near Whedon-esque … though it could just be that Marvel's visual effects team s clicking on all cylinders.
Eric: Agreed. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang wasn't exactly an action blockbuster that tested his skills in that directing arena, but his scripts from the 80s and 90s have long proven that he knows how to set up an action scene and I'm excited to see how all of them play out in the final cut.
The only thing that I find lacking in the trailers that we've seen so far is the humor and wit that the last two movies have brought us - though we do kind of see it towards the end of this one. But I have enough confidence in Black's writing and RDJ's charisma to make me feel that won't be totally missing from the movie.
Sean: Oh, absolutely. You are right, it has been absent in the trailer. But I recall the "Christmas In Hollis" sequence from the Comic-Con footage -- which I'm wondering if it's still in the final cut -- and I know that RDK and Black will deliver on that aspect.
Sean:OK, let's start speculating. What do you think that facility is at the end of the trailer? The one that Tony needs all the Iron Men to infiltrate / defend?
Eric: I think it very well could tie to the shot we see of all of those men being strapped into those strange medical apparatuses. We've known for a while now that the movie has ties to the Extremis storyline in the comics, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's the facility housing it all.
Sean: Interesting. Yes, I think we're going to have two big storylines with Mandarin and the Extremis plot.
How about the obvious nod to the Hulkbuster armor? Do you think that this has anything to do with the Planet Hulk rumors? Or just a coincidence?
Eric: I think Tony Stark is the kind of character who would see the need for a new kind of suit - like meeting the hulk - and just build it so that he can have it "just in case." My bet is that the Hulkbuster armor plays a role similar to the suitcase suit (aka Mark V) in Iron Man 2. The number of suits also goes a long way in explaining why the gold-plated suit we've been seeing everywhere is called Mark XLVII.
Sean: Yes, true.
Eric: He's spent his time between Avengers and Iron Man 3 just building new suits.
Sean: Like a mad man.
Eric: what else can you do when you can't sleep?
Sean: Right!
I had a similar conversation with Da7e from Latino Review, the site behind the Planet Hulk rumor. And he's with me on this one thing. If Tony actually refers to it as the Hulkbuster, then I think that's Marvel putting it on the audience's mind, and it says to me that they want it out there in case Stark needs it later. You know, to fight Hulk. [/GeekDream] Would you agree?
Eric: If they actually call it that, sure. But I honestly wouldn't expect it. Iron Monger was never directly called Iron Monger, Whiplash was never called Whiplash and War Machine has never been called War Machine.
Sean: Ha! Great points.
Eric: but that may go even further in proving your theory, because it will be them making a point of saying it. They're tricky devils over there at Marvel.
Sean: They are. And we'll certainly know everything for sure come May 3 … which seriously can not get here fast enough.
Eric: for you and me both!
