Iron Man 2 Trivia


 * Al Pacino was considered for the role of Justin Hammer.
 * Fann Wong, Ziyi Zhang, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone were considered for the role of Rumiko Fujikawa.
 * Robert Downey Jr. recommended that an Iron Man suit be designed that would fit into a suitcase, like in the comics and "Iron Man" (1994).
 * Writer Shane Black recommended that Tony Stark's characterization be inspired by J. Robert Oppenheimer, a scientist who had worked on the atomic bomb but after witnessing his creation's destructive potential defamed himself as "the Destroyer of Worlds" and sank into depression.
 * According to director Jon Favreau, the Mandarin in this film allows for "incorporating the whole pantheon of villains". The main influences on the Mandarin's characterization were J.R.R. Tolkien's Dark Lord Sauron; Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Godfather: Part II (1974)'s Michael Corleone.
 * Renowned animator Genndy Tartakovsky was hired to storyboard the film's action sequences.
 * Emily Blunt was set to star as Black Widow but had to pull out due scheduling conflicts with her movie Gulliver's Travels (2010).
 * Robert Downey Jr. recommended screenwriter Justin Theroux, who did Downey's Tropic Thunder (2008), to Jon Favreau to write the film's script.
 * To prepare for his role as Whiplash, Mickey Rourke paid a visit to Butyrka Prison, Moscow.
 * The character of Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) is a combination of Iron Man's enemies Whiplash (who possesses a specially-designed razor/acid whip) and the Crimson Dynamo (who wears armor that can control electricity).
 * Samuel L. Jackson was promised that Nick Fury would be given more screen time by director Jon Favreau. Jackson almost didn't return to play Fury, due to problems with contract negotiations, but secured a landmark nine-picture deal to play Nick Fury not only in this film but in many other Marvel Studio productions.
 * Jon Favreau's first sequel as a director and as an actor.