Jon Favreau Still Not Signed for 'Iron Man 2'
Filed under: Action, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
Attention, Marvel Studios: You forgot to call Jon Favreau about Iron Man 2 when you set the release date and stuff. Please put it on your To Do list. Thanks.Favreau was on Howard Stern this past Tuesday, and revealed that he has not yet been signed for the sequel. "They haven't offered me anything yet. They're all talking -- they want to do it, they even announced a date."
I want to believe that it means nothing, that things are in such a talky, pat-on-the-back stage that they don't mean anything by it. But still, before you talked to Entertainment Tonight and announced a release date, wouldn't you slap the director on the back and say "I hope you're coming back for the sequel!" Just as a courtesy? A "Good job, Favs!"
After being pressed by Stern, Favreau revealed his director's salary -- $4 million for the first film, with a NET profit deal which will pay a very small percentage once the film begins to turn a profit. But that won't happen for years with the magic of movie bookkeeping. And when a film makes mega bucks, like Iron Man did, all previous contracts are pretty much thrown out the window. That includes those Iron Man actors who have signed on for sequels. "They're all signed for three but it doesn't work that way. That all goes out the window when you make $100 million dollars," said Favreau. "Because people want to have a good relationship with the people they are working with, and if they're making that kind of money, it's an understanding that they're going to negotiate." (Isn't this a fun look into the world of legalities? I thought so.)
And if ever signed on to direct a sequel, Favreau confirmed that he was interested in the famous Demon in a Bottle storyline. As if anyone suspected otherwise.
Don't get me wrong, I am in no hurry for them to race Iron Man 2 into production. But I'm simply amazed that "talks" have not yet included the man most responsible for the film's success. Like I said earlier, it's probably nothing but hyperbole and assumptions, but it is all very cold.
[via Slashfilm]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-15-2008 @ 12:52PM
Wayne said...
Why have Jon Favreau direct "Iron Man 2" when you can have Michael Bay?
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5-15-2008 @ 12:53PM
Wayne said...
My sarcasm tags were lost, but I hope it's painfully obvious.
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5-15-2008 @ 1:16PM
kevjohn said...
It was, and that was a great comment!
5-15-2008 @ 1:00PM
Mr R said...
It all comes down to Downey Jr. doing a great job.
I hate to compare because there is no comparison but no one would dare talk about a new Batman without Nolan. Favreau doesn't really have the same credibility as a director, he made Jumanji 2, for god's sake!
I am still to find an Iron Man fan that can explain how the time line of production of suits makes any sense, that was touched at the Stern show and Favreau somewhat admitted it was kinda silly...
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5-15-2008 @ 1:14PM
Moo said...
Mr. R, you mean how quickly the suits are produced? Well he is building on prior work after the Mark I, but is a little silly. That's how it's always been in the comic, he just kind of whips them up whenever he needs them, heh.
Try just to go with it...that's what I do!
SIGN FAVS NOW!!!!!! RDJ did own this movie, but having a man behind the camera with an obvious love of the subject matter paid off in spades here. If they are going to do Demon in a Bottle with RDJ, it could be some of the finest comic book movie making in history. After the first film, i trust Favs to make it work...because he obviously cares about the source material.
5-15-2008 @ 4:07PM
Lola said...
Yeah, and how did Obadiah understand how to fly in his suit immediately, when the movie laboriously hammered into us how long it took Tony Stark to figure out how to fly in his suit without crashing into a wall?
5-15-2008 @ 1:03PM
dana said...
the man most responsible for the film's success.
I do think Favreau did a great job with the movie, and they should definitely sign him up for another film, but I have to disagree with that statement. The movie belonged to Downey -- Favreau directed the film really well, but he didn't leave the stamp on it that Downey did.
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5-15-2008 @ 1:22PM
brian said...
Ms. Rappe: best writer on cinematical. period.
Thanks for a great article. Now instead of using Stern as your story source, make this a running theme and go get the information and let us know the backdoor business deals that go into making movies. (Don't become Nikki Finke or anything, but really...cool article.)
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5-15-2008 @ 1:23PM
kevjohn said...
This might be good news for ol' Favs. Once they see the Money Factory he helped create with the first film, he might be able to negotiate a Spielbergian contract to do any future films. This was Downey's movie, but from everything I've seen or heard he was so comfortable in the role because of the working relationship he had with Favreau.
But just in case.... Marvel Studios, I'm available and I'll work for cheap! :)
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5-16-2008 @ 6:42AM
Elisabeth said...
If we can't have Favreau, I'll endorse you. Just invite me to the premiere or something...
By the way, I hope no one thinks I'm snubbing Robert Downey Jr.'s performance. I do think he made the movie -- but as Favreau was responsible for casting him, I think the praise can be divided quite fairly.
5-15-2008 @ 3:46PM
Mr R said...
Moo, I do admit Favreau did a good job for the most part but when you see the cunning ideas that Nolan put together to justify every Batman weapon and gadget, makes suspense of disbelief an easy thing and throws a bit of an I got there first feel to the comparison.
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5-16-2008 @ 3:36PM
Justin said...
Good lord! The movie's been out for what, three weeks? Give the guy a break! These things take a lot of time! And what about if the guy wants to do something else first? It's a great film, but Jon's a really creative filmmaker and should be allowed to do something else once in a while.
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5-16-2008 @ 6:41AM
Elisabeth said...
But I think Favreau *wants* to be asked! I could be wrong but that was the impression I got.
If he doesn't want to come back, than fly free and godspeed -- thanks for a good movie, Favreau.
5-21-2008 @ 7:38PM
Scott Ellington said...
I think this film is significantly better than your average blockbuster specifically because of the director's reluctance to compromise performance in behalf of canon, logic and the convenience of the machineries of blockbuster-making. CGI kowtowed to RDJ's improvizational and expressive command, resulting in an IRONyMAN that was a more deeply flawed yet more thoroughly engaging superhero than I've seen before.
I have to credit the director as an ideal collaborator who apparently created an environment in which the many talents of his colleagues radiate.
I think Jon Favreau just matured the genre into an adulthood, and that every blockbuster that follows will be inspected for acne, naivete and emotional shallowness.
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5-22-2008 @ 9:49AM
Scott Ellington said...
...and Robert Downey Junior's name probably ought to be abbreviated RtD2; until somebody in Marin complains.
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