Iron Man

While trailers for 'The Avengers" revealed that Gwyneth Paltrow would pop up in the approaching superhero fest, director Joss Whedon is now speaking out on how and why the A-lister joined the powerful assembly. Robert Downey Jr., "Iron Man" himself, insisted that franchise love interest Paltrow (who plays Pepper Potts) was crucial to his character's arc in "Avengers," which costars Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Chris Hemsworth and many more. "You need to separate the characters from their support systems in order to create the isolation you need for a team," director Joss Whedon said during the film's junket, explaining his intial decision against including any supporting folks from the various films that feed into "Avengers.

It was a weekend that made Hollywood stand back and marvel. "The Avengers," from Walt Disney's Marvel Studios, didn't just break the record for the best opening weekend in Hollywood history - the film smashed through it Hulk style, grabbing up big green fistfuls of money. The Joss Whedon-directed movie, riding stellar reviews and a tsunami of Twitter love, piled up $200.3 million at theaters in the U.S. and Canada, according to an estimate from Disney. That total, which beat the $169.2-million record set during the opening weekend of 2011's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2," was turbocharged by pricier IMAX and 3-D tickets.

CAST: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke. Directed by Jon Favreau. BACK STORY: Yes, with the addition of Johansson and Rourke to the cast, there will be a lot of "beauty and the beast" headlines as the release nears. The high-flying franchise from Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures picks up right where the 2008 hit film left off: with billionaire Tony Stark (Downey) revealing his secret identity to the world in open defiance of every municipal code in Gotham City and Metropolis.

HONG KONG — In a move that underscores the importance of the fast-growing Chinese movie market to Hollywood, Walt Disney Co. has struck a partnership with a Beijing firm on its big-budget American superhero film "Iron Man 3. " This is the second business endeavor Disney has undertaken in the last week in the world's most populous country. On April 10, the Burbank entertainment giant announced a partnership with the animation division of China's largest Internet company, Tencent Holdings Ltd., offering its expertise in storytelling and market research to help foster local talent.

It's Always Four O'Clock/Iron Man W.R. Burnett Stark House: 296 pp., $19.95 paper

Disney wants to dominate the Marvel universe as soon as possible. Resolving a long-standing question since Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel Entertainment last year for $4 billion, the Burbank studio has signed a deal to take over marketing and distribution of "The Avengers" and "Iron Man 3" from Paramount Pictures. Disney will pay Paramount a minimum guarantee of $115 million for the rights against a percentage of revenue that the Viacom Inc.-owned studio would have received for releasing the pictures under an existing distribution deal.

Superhero films are proving to be more than just popcorn escapism this award season. "The Dark Knight" earned a nomination Monday for the Producers Guild of America's top prize. And on Tuesday, "Iron Man," 2008's other superhero box-office champ, received a nomination for the USC Libraries 21st Annual Scripter Award.

"Iron Man 2" is wrapping up its box office run in a surprising spot: behind the original "Iron Man." Marvel Entertainment's superhero sequel dropped out of the box office top 10 this weekend, its eighth in theaters, and has grossed $307 million in the U.S. and Canada. "Iron Man" left the box office top 10 on its ninth weekend with $309 million. Although the difference is tiny, it's remarkable given that "Iron Man 2" opened to $128.1 million in early May, higher than its predecessor's $98.6 million opening at the same time of year in 2008.

It was a weekend that made Hollywood stand back and marvel. "The Avengers," from Walt Disney's Marvel Studios, didn't just break the record for the best opening weekend in Hollywood history - the film smashed through it Hulk style, grabbing up big green fistfuls of money. The Joss Whedon-directed movie, riding stellar reviews and a tsunami of Twitter love, piled up $200.3 million at theaters in the U.S. and Canada, according to an estimate from Disney. That total, which beat the $169.2-million record set during the opening weekend of 2011's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2," was turbocharged by pricier IMAX and 3-D tickets.

With audience interest already sky high and ads blanketing television and billboards, there was little doubt theaters would be packed for "Iron Man 2" when it arrived Friday. But the line between hit and potential mega-hit was crossed Saturday, when ticket sales declined a very modest 11%. That statistic, combined with an average grade of A from moviegoers, according to market research firm CinemaScore, means that word of mouth should be extremely strong. All told, "Iron Man 2" took in a hefty $133.

While trailers for 'The Avengers" revealed that Gwyneth Paltrow would pop up in the approaching superhero fest, director Joss Whedon is now speaking out on how and why the A-lister joined the powerful assembly. Robert Downey Jr., "Iron Man" himself, insisted that franchise love interest Paltrow (who plays Pepper Potts) was crucial to his character's arc in "Avengers," which costars Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Chris Hemsworth and many more. "You need to separate the characters from their support systems in order to create the isolation you need for a team," director Joss Whedon said during the film's junket, explaining his intial decision against including any supporting folks from the various films that feed into "Avengers.

A John Carpenter signing, a panel of "The Simpsons'" "Treehouse of Horror" series and a talk by "Iron Man 3" director Shane Black are among the highlights at this year's Long Beach Comic Con, an annual klatsch for comic, fantasy, sci-fi and horror buffs everywhere. A long program includes plenty of panels, signings and opportunities to dress up in nerdy finery. Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. Sat.-Sun. $25 per day. http://www.longbeachcomiccon.com.

A truly calm Robert Downey Jr. is a rare and spooky sight to behold, but on a recent Venice Beach morning, there he was with a faraway expression and a cup of warm tea waiting by his folded hands. "So," he said with deadpan eyes, "you want to talk about the past. " The past is a tricky subject for Downey — he is reluctant to glorify his fire-breathing days (especially the stops in prison, rehab and Hollywood's career penalty box), but they are a huge part of his mojo at this point, and they add the decadent wink to his most resonant sort of role: the wickedly smart guy who dances on life's ledges.

Comic book publisher Marvel Worldwide Inc. has won a federal court ruling in a dispute over the rights to such popular characters as the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk. The heirs of comic book artist Jack Kirby had sought to assert their rights to the characters in 2009, shortly after the Walt Disney Co. announced it would acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. Kirby's estate wanted control over the characters they said he created from 1958 to 1963, under a provision of copyright law that allows creators to revoke rights granted to corporations after a certain number of years.

Last weekend, "Fast Five" kicked off the summer box office, posting the biggest opening weekend of the year. This weekend, Hollywood is hoping "Thor," another expensive studio event film, will continue to reverse the industry's prolonged moviegoing slump. "Fast Five" was the first film in 2011 able to attract movie fans in droves, opening with a higher-than-expected $86.2 million. Despite the strong showing, ticket sales for the year are down 14%. The 3-D "Thor," based on the classic Marvel comic book character, isn't expected to match the premiere of "Fast Five," although it will probably still have a solid first weekend.

Disney wants to dominate the Marvel universe as soon as possible. Resolving a long-standing question since Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel Entertainment last year for $4 billion, the Burbank studio has signed a deal to take over marketing and distribution of "The Avengers" and "Iron Man 3" from Paramount Pictures. Disney will pay Paramount a minimum guarantee of $115 million for the rights against a percentage of revenue that the Viacom Inc.-owned studio would have received for releasing the pictures under an existing distribution deal.

On the last day of postproduction on "Iron Man 2," director Jon Favreau looked like a broken man. "You don't want to shake hands — I'm sick," said the filmmaker whose superhero blockbuster just might be the movie that finishes as the highest-grossing release of 2010. But that possibility was far from Favreau's mind. "I feel like I'm finishing this one the way El Cid finished the war, strapped onto his horse by his men and sent into battle dead." One reason the battleground was so rough on Favreau is the secret weapon that made the first "Iron Man" such a nimble and memorable movie — namely Robert Downey Jr. as the titular hero and Favreau's intense commitment to capture his singular spark on the screen.

Iron Man 2 Paramount, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.99 Though less fresh and surprising than the first movie featuring Marvel Comics' armored good guy, "Iron Man 2" is no less entertaining. This time out, Robert Downey Jr.'s quick-witted, cocksure billionaire Tony Stark is having difficulty with his newfound superhero celebrity; he's drinking too much and making rash decisions, which makes him a weakened target for a rival industrialist (played by Sam Rockwell) and the mad scientist (played by Mickey Rourke)

Composer John Debney is the man behind the music of the "Iron Man" films as well as the current Top 10 hit "Predators," but his skills extend far beyond the action-flicks realm. He's earned three Emmys scoring for television and got an Oscar nomination for his work on the 2004 biblical epic "Passion of the Christ." "I've always had broad musical tastes," said the Burbank resident, whose father was a producer with Disney for 40 years. "When I was growing up and playing in a series of garage bands, my guitar heroes were the usual suspects like Clapton and Hendrix, but I also liked Chicago's Terry Kath and John McLaughlin of the Mahavishnu Orchestra."