Screenwriter Justin Theroux Speaks on "Iron Man 2"

According to MTV, Justin Theroux says Iron Man 2, the sequel to the 2008 hit comic book super hero movie, Iron Man, will very much embrace the real world tone and feel of the original movie. According to Theroux, "The obvious thing to improve upon - well, it's not even an improvement it's just something to embrace - which is that he's now a hero that lives in the real world. That's unique. It's not a small distinction. There is a line between Clark Kent and Superman, or say, Bruce Wayne and Batman. You could even argue about both that one identity is the 'real' one. There no longer is that line with Tony, which means, well, something big." This is in reference to Tony Stark outing himself as Iron Man at the end of the first movie, effectively eliminating the idea of Tony Stark needing a secret identity to secretly take the role of Iron Man when not doing the billionaire playboy thing.

Theroux also adds, "It's something that we've made a real decision to run towards rather than away from."

The issue of Iron Man being a character who exists in the real world does not address how the character will transition and ultimately interact with Thor, another Marvel mainstay character set to make his big screen debut in the summer of 2010 -- not long after Iron Man 2's release. Thor features characters that are the literal Gods of Norse mythology. Thor, the God of Thunder, will ultimately come to our world and fight alongside Iron Man in The Avengers, another Marvel Studios movie project set for release in 2011.

Iron Man 2 will be released May 7, 2010. Robert Downey, Jr. will return as Tony Stark/Iron Man. Don Cheadle will replace Terrence Howard as Stark's friend, Jim Rhodes. Jon Favreau will return as director.