52 Comments | Add

 

Rate & Share:

 

Related Links:

 

Info:

• Series: Deadpool, Smallville, Walking Dead, Green Hornet, Avengers (Marvel Studios' The Avengers), Iron Man 3, Red

Favreau Quits IRON MAN 3

Comics2Film: IRON MAN 2
© Mania

Favreau quits Iron Man 3! Plus: Walking Dead and RED get Golden Globe noms. Mythbusters set to debunk Green Hornet and more! It's your Comics2Film 10.12.15!

Favreau Quits IRON MAN 3

Late yesterday evening, New York Magazine's Vulture blog broke a major bit of news, revealing that Jon Favreau has stepped down from directing duties on Marvel's Iron Man 3 sequel.

Although the blog was unclear on the reasons for the departure, speculation is that it could be financial (we've reported numerous times on how the studio's frugality has affected the likes of Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and even Favreau himself in the past) or creative (tampering with the film to jam in Avengers-related setups).

Whether or not Marvel's reputation for cheapness is earned, it's clear that Favreau is now a bankable star with a rising price tag in director circles, having delivered two box office hits in Iron Man and commanding a high salary for the upcoming summer tentpole Cowboys & Aliens.

Vulture's piece was quickly confirmed by Favreau himself, who tweeted last night, "It's true, I'm directing Magic Kingdom, not Iron Man 3. I've had a great run with Marvel and wish them the best."

Magic Kingdom is a Disney movie, part of the studio's series of films rooted in their theme-park attractions.

The director then turned to the L.A. Times Hero Complex blog as a platform to explain his reasons for turning his back on the franchise that made him a star director. Favreau's comments there suggest that the move is more a creative one than a financial decision, saying that he's looking for a project that will allow him to, "blow people away, which is easier to do with a project that isn’t loaded with built-in expectations."

Favreau expressed a fondness for the Disney lore saying it was the first "archetypes" he was exposed to as a youngster. When he heard Disney was shopping a director for the film, he took copious notes on Disneyland (the original Magic Kingdom) while visiting there with his family. "[I] had no problem filling a book with all the ideas that this concept offered, even on first blush," Favreau said of the project's allure. "Since then, I was lucky enough to be given a tour of Imagineering by Tony Baxter, who knows just about everything there is to know about Disneyland. He pulled original concept art from the archives for me and exposed me to Walt’s original vision."

At the same time, Favreau downplayed the notion that there's strife between himself and Marvel, either on the creative or financial fronts.

"Marvel and I both came of age together," Favreau told Hero Complex. "The years that we shared were a pivotal experience. [Kevin Feige] has a firm grasp on the many franchises and how they all interweave and I am happy that I had the opportunity to establish the world that these characters can now play in…. Iron Man has given me tremendous opportunities and Kevin and I are enjoying a lot of momentum in our careers thanks to the Iron Man films. I look forward to seeing what others can do playing in the same world."

Favreau remains involved with Marvel as a producer for The Avengers.

What do you think, Maniacs? Is this bad news for IRON MAN 3? Who should direct the movie now that the job is open? Post your comments below...

Thanks to ninjaBam and jumblue for the submission.

C2F Quick Hits

• THR Esq. reports that Smallville creators and co-producers Miles Millar and Alfred Gough and production company Tollin/Robbins Prods lost a round in their battle with Warner Bros over profits from the show. Los Angeles judge Michael Johnson on Monday granted a motion to dismiss key claims against Warners.
   
• The Golden Globes have announced their 2010 nominees. Only two comic-based items secured nods. RED, based on the Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner comic, got a nomination in the "Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical" category. And the just-wrapped Walking Dead TV series got a surprise nod in the "Best Television Series - Drama" category.
   
• Rob Liefeld has blogged up his preferences for directors on the Deadpool movie. His dream list includes The Wachowski Brothers, The A-Team's Joe Carnahan, animation superstar Genndy Tartakovsky, Expendables star/helmer Sylvester Stallone and the movie's writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (who's ascenion to directing is inevitable according to Liefeld). Click through for his reasoning on each.
   
• The Mythbusters have announced that they'll devote the December 15th episode to the drive-through crime fighter movie Green Hornet. Seth Rogen will assist them in debunking his status as a leading man.

Rob M. Worley is the writer and creator of the all-new, all-cat kids comic book series Scratch9. Issues #1 and #2 are in stores now. Issue #1 is also available as a digital download via iVerse Media's iTunes app. Visit Scratch9.com for news and info!