Iron Man 2 Q&A: Part Three

Will the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) get her own movie spin-off?

In the final instalment of his “virtual roundtable” to mark the Blu-ray release of Iron Man 2, producer Kevin Feige discusses the movie’s Marvel Comics legacy.

Q – You have some awesome movies under your belt, how will you keep Marvel stories fresh and alive?
A – We have the incredibly unfair advantage of almost 70 years of material, all of which has been revamped and refreshed over the decades in comic book form. Our job is to look at the rich history of these characters and pick the best stories to tell.

Q – What is your favourite Iron Man suit and what did you want to see with the suit for Iron Man 2?
A – The suitcase suit is the thing we are most proud of and was the very first new suit we discussed… because it was right out of the books and because at the time we had no idea how we were going to pull it off. It’s a testament to the great work of designer Ryan Meinerding and the designers at D-neg that it became this film’s showcase suit and is on the cover of the Blu-ray.

Q – What were some of the avenues and challenges the final moment of the first film set up that were different from what we’ve seen in other super hero films?
A – The ‘I am Iron Man’ moment at the end of Iron Man 1 was intended to be the perfect finale to that story, whether there was a sequel or not. We knew we were locking ourselves into avoiding any secret identity plots in subsequent movies, which we were okay with because the secret identity trope was never part of what made Iron Man interesting.

Q – Have you guys been influenced by the look and feel of mobile devices interfaces such as the iPhone or Palm’s webOS when designing Tony’s gadgets and tech interface, as well as the extras on the discs?
A – All of us involved in the Iron Man franchise are early adopters when it comes to those kinds of gadgets. After Iron Man 1, I think the influence went both ways, which we see as a high compliment.

Q – How important do you think a character having a flaw is? How big should that flaw be?
A – When it comes to larger than life characters like our Marvel super heroes, a flaw is what makes them human and is their most important aspect. We can push that flaw as far as we can, just short of puking into a toilet.

Q – How hands on are you with the Marvel films when they are in production? For example, are you active on the Captain America set right now and taking a little “break” for this roundtable? Or do you more watch and provide feedback from afar?
A – I’m as active as my schedule allows. I just returned from being in the UK for three-and-a-half months on Cap, and have returned to Los Angeles for Thor editorial and of course for this virtual round table.

Q – Much of the history of Iron Man comics was combed for these films, how much has Matt Fraction’s Invincible Iron Man series been considered for material since it is the most contemporary story yet?
A – We’re huge fans of the Fraction run. It was a big part of our discussions for part two, and continues to be part of our conversations of how the character will be moving forward.

Q – Has there been any more talk of a Black Widow solo movie?
A – We’ve already started discussions with Scarlett [Johansson] about the idea of a solo movie and have begun putting together concepts, but The Avengers comes first.

Q – Comic-con proved very fruitful for the Iron Man and other Marvel franchises. Can you offer a flavour of what to expect from Marvel at the next Comic-Con San Diego?
A – We were very pleased and proud of the booth and panel we had at this year’s Con. It’s too early to start thinking about it, but we are trying to figure out if we can get the Aircraft Carrier stationed down there to hover above the convention center.

Q – One of the cool things about building a library of Marvel Universe films is that it seems like a double or triple feature (or more). Are there any features that streamline that experience, or suggest in what order to watch the films?
A – We produced the movies to be watched in the order they were released, but as it has already been pointed out in screen grabs online, there are clues in Iron Man 2 that point to where The Incredible Hulk falls in the Marvel cinematic chronology.

Q – Kevin, what’s your personal take on this upcoming generation settling to see big movies on small screens such as an iPhone or iPad, while missing out on the high def video AND audio Blu-ray offers?
A – When a consumer buys a movie they should be able to watch it on any device they want, but clearly a theatrical or big screen experience is always best. Check out David Lynch’s response.

Q – What can or will you tease about the coming Marvel movies, Thor, Captain America & The Avengers?
A – As usual, I’m not going to tease much, but I will say that it’s incredibly exciting to be back in the mode of introducing characters to the audience for the first time as we did with Iron Man in 2008. I think that moviegoers are in for a big surprise when more of Thor and Captain America is revealed in the coming months.

Q – Kevin, any final thoughts as we wrap up this virtual roundtable for Iron Man 2?
A – Thanks for the opportunity. It’s always fun to delve back into a project a few months after release. I’m glad people are responding so well. A lot of hard work from a lot of talented people went into the disc, and I’m looking forward to people experiencing the numerous layers and features that the Blu-ray has to offer.