As with all Marvel films, there is
always a tremendous amount of anticipation about what character or characters
will be revealed as the villain and “Iron Man 3” continued the tradition. With
so much source material to choose from, the filmmakers were happy to confirm,
to the delight of the fans, that the highly anticipated character of The
Mandarin would finally make his appearance after years of speculation.
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| Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios |
“The
Mandarin is unquestionably Tony Stark’s greatest enemy,” says producer Louis D’
Esposito. “He is a very frightening, modern-day terrorist who has taken motifs
from all over the world and it was a very cool, relevant and scary idea. So
when we were casting the role we wanted somebody whose ethnicity was not
specific and we also needed somebody who was a spectacular actor.”
The
filmmakers got their wish when they cast Academy Award®–winning actor Ben
Kingsley as The Mandarin and for Kingsley, the Marvel Universe was a completely
new world that he was excited to explore.
“The
Mandarin’s motivation is to turn the pyramid of civilization as we know on its
head by referring quite accurately to iconography, history and ironies that are
contained in any civilized state,” explains Kingsley. “He picks at them quite
viciously and remorselessly to justify the correctness of his desire to destroy
this particular civilization, which he considers absurd. It’s a sense of
rightness, not of evil, that motivates him and he wishes to basically turn all
our landmarks and the things we cling to as emblems on its head.”
The
Mandarin is the sinister head of the terrorist organization known as The Ten
Rings, from which all the acts of extreme terrorism plaguing the world appear
to emanate. Although he is reclusive, The Mandarin wields great power and makes
his presence known by striking fear in the government and the populace through
his brazen plans of attack.
“When
I first spoke to [director] Shane Black, I had not seen the previous films, so
he very kindly sent me a wonderful package of drawings, graphics, ‘Iron Man’
Marvel comics, and of course, the two films,” recalls Kingsley. “I watched the
films, which were both very enjoyable and I really liked how the characters are
not stereotypical and were really layered. I was very inspired by Robert Downey
Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow as that relationship is sort of the spine of the film.
Then also Don Cheadle, of course, is wonderful, and it’s not your usual type of
film in the genre as there is something original about the franchise. So when I
read the script, I felt it was an intelligent approach to this film.”
Marvel’s
“Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert
Downey, Jr.) against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his
personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest
to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle.
With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices,
relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he
fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has
secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?
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