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Prospero, you are right: Tony Stark AKA Iron Man is indeed an alcoholic. (Florence: which makes the suit powered by booze, not coke).
I really like how Marvel casts movies. They seem to cast the 'Secret Identity', not the Superhero. Tobey Maguire is a great Peter Parker. I have a feeling Robert Downey Junior will be a great Tony Stark. Robert Downey Junior as a Wealthy Alcoholic... it's a stretch, but I bet he can pull it off.
I'm going to out myself as a pretty big Robert Downey Jr. fan. I can see why many people don't like him as either a person or an actor, but he really pushes a lot of my movie-watching buttons - he's willing to take risks to portray interesting characters (Restoration, anyone?).
I am curious to see others' ideas of a better fit.
There was early talk of Tom Selleck. Selleck does look an awful lot like Tony Stark (And hey! Same initials!) but he's too old now. Likewise, Harrison Ford could've pulled it off 20 years ago, but not now.
There was also an early internet rumour that Iron Man was going to be played by Justin Timberlake. (!) With the annointing of Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man fans everywhere must be breathing sighs of relief.
Inspired bit of casting, IMHO. I can't think of a better Tony Stark off the top of my head: rich, handsome, had so much potential, troubled (oh, so troubled), substance abuse issues, lacks the physical bulk to pass for a superhero without the armor... I think they nailed this one.
I really like how Marvel casts movies. They seem to cast the 'Secret Identity', not the Superhero.
Well, that's the way to do it, isn't it? Anybody can play SuperHero™ -- it's not a nuanced role, usually. But the secret identity is the tricky part, where the real personal drama is. It's why Keaton as Batman was great, but Kilmer was teh suck and Clooney was too chummy and casual for the intense Wayne.
the secret identity is the tricky part, where the real personal drama is.
Couldn't agree with you more, me3dia. Well, except for Keaton as Bruce Wayne. I thought that whole Batman movie was woefully miscast. Keaton as Bruce Wayne? I didn't buy it. Kim Basinger as Viki Vale? Holly Hunter would've been much better, sez I. Billy Dee Freakin' Williams as Harvey Dent? Tommy Lee Jones was a great Harvey Dent/Two-Face: he should've been cast as Harvey Dent right from the start. Jack Nicholson as himself The Joker? Nicholson was pretty damn entertaining to watch, but I couldn't get past the fact that I was watching ***JACK NICHOLSON!!!*** Well, at least casting Michael Gough as Alfred was spot on.
Tommy Lee Jones was a great Harvey Dent/Two-Face? You must have not watched the same movie I did. Two-Face is not supposed to be a raving lunatic or a knockoff joker. It's probably not Jones' fault, considering the script and the director, but what was on screen was definitely not a good Two-Face.
ooga_booga: I was talking about the casting. What I said was a little unclear...I should have said Tommy Lee Jones was a great casting choice for Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Better than Billy Dee Williams, that's for sure.
And I think you're right: everyone and everything in that movie was super-campy and over the top, including Jones's performance. Two-Face is a lunatic, just not as raving as Jones's portrayal.
You know... upon further reflection I think I'm wrong about Tommy Lee Jones being a better casting choice than Billy Dee Williams.
I think I was being too literal: 'Tommy Lee Jones looks more like the Harvey Dent/Two-Face from the comics.'
Harvey Dent, before he became Two-Face, was a smooth, good-looking Ladies Man. Can Billy Dee Williams play a smooth, good-looking Ladies Man? Survey says... yes.
Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face... now that would have been interesting.
And I still think Holly Hunter would've made for a better Viki Vale.
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