Iron Man 3 Teaser: First Look At New Suit

Marvel’s Iron Man 3 pledges to be the first entry in “phase 2” of the Marvel cinematic universe continuity. Some development sketches from the film show parts of the new duds Tony Stark will be rocking for films to come, and I have to say, they get my nerd parts all tingly.

Iron Man 3 won’t be hitting theaters until next May, but development art is giving impatient nerds the boost they’ll need to wait it out. Marvel released concept art showing Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark fighting some armed baddies as his newest armored suit slowly spreads onto – or emerges from – his body. The image, posted to The Avengers’ Facebook page, depicts armor on Tony’s arm and leg, implying that it unfolds over his body at will.

E! speculates that Iron Man is now a mutant with some degree of psychic control over his armor. Silly E!, fanboys everywhere can tell you that the new film is based on the Extremis storyline in the comics that involves a super-soldier serum putting Tony Stark somewhat on-par with co-Avenger Captain America. The suit, if it does indeed “spread” onto or from his body, it likely based on the “Bleeding Edge” armor of the current comics – basically, the armor is composed of microscopic nano-machines and is more like a “second skin” than a suit of armor. The nano-machines are stored inside Stark’s body and become armor at mental suggestion.

Nerd-rage subsided.

Iron Man 3 rumors abound on the internet, what with “Iron Patriot” set photos and rumblings that Ben Kingsley has signed on the play Tony Stark’s nemesis “The Mandarin.” Come what may, we’ll know more for sure after Marvel’s Comic-Con presentation on July 14. All we know now is that The Avengers wasn’t just a swan song for the Marvel U – just a profitable and ambitious pit-stop in a grander scheme – one that will likely bring us Avengers 2 and maybe even Avengers 3 someday.

Marvel executive Kevin Feige said that Iron Man 3 just gets the ball rolling in the next phase. “The Avengers was not the finale for us. It was a giant, giant marker, but it was never the finale. We are already well into the plan for the next phase of our little cinematic universe.”

Looking forward to Iron Man 3?