UPDATE: Ben Kingsley In Talks For IRON MAN 3 Villain Role; Movie Will Be Based On "Extremis"

Marvel Studios are in "final talks" with Ben Kingsley to star in Iron Man 3 in a currently undisclosed role. Sources indicate that he will NOT be playing The Mandarin and the the film will be based on "Extremis".

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By Josh Wilding - 4/9/2012

Showblitz reveal that Ben Kingsley is set to play the villain in Iron Man 3. Director Shane Black has previously revealed that he has no interest in bringing the Mandarin to the big screen (describing him as, "a racist caricature"). While Marvel has refused to comment on the deal, insiders have confirmed his involvement and denied that he will play the iconic villain. In Iron Man 3, which the site reveal will be loosely based on Warren Ellis' "Extremis", Kingsley is set to play a villainous role which revolves around the spread of a virus through nanobots. The arc didn't actually feature a villain who matches Kingsley, so whether his character will be a new creation or based on another character from the Marvel Universe remains to be seen. Depending on just how much they end up taking from the popular storyline, the actor could be either a very different version of "Mallen" (the main villain of the arc) or a modified version of "Dr. Aldrich Killian" (who commits suicide after releasing the virus and has only a very minor role in the first issue).

UPDATE: According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Kingsley, however, will not be the primary villain...Insiders say there is a chance Kingsley will play the Mandarin but at the same time say since the script is still being written, the character may be reconfigured for silver screen presentation." So, it sounds as if Kingsley might just play the Mandarin (or at least a version of him) after all! Stay tuned for details.

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113 Comments

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	nailbiter111 - 4/9/2012, 2:27 PM Login to report abuse great choice.
	RorMachine - 4/9/2012, 2:30 PM Login to report abuse Nice! Who the hell could he be playing if not Mandarin though?
	nuclearpriest - 4/9/2012, 2:31 PM Login to report abuse Let's see: Ben Kingsley - Academy Award Winner Gwyneth Paltrow - Academy Award Winner Robert Downey Jr. - Double Academy Award Nominee Don Cheadle - Academy Award Nominee Keep it coming Marvel, you're going in the right direction!
	superotherside - 4/9/2012, 2:34 PM Login to report abuse I wonder who he's playing. I don't believe Mandarin will have his ten rings in IM3 but he might be the character he just doesn't have his rings yet.
	Irons - 4/9/2012, 2:37 PM Login to report abuse Interesting.
	RunDTC - 4/9/2012, 2:37 PM Login to report abuse love Ben Kingsley. great choice.
	PeterDarker121 - 4/9/2012, 2:39 PM Login to report abuse This RULES.
	PaulRom - 4/9/2012, 2:41 PM Login to report abuse Fantastic. My excitement just went up a few notches.
	Asterisk - 4/9/2012, 2:42 PM Login to report abuse Very cool. Ben Kingsley is awesome.
	ClaireLannister2016 - 4/9/2012, 2:42 PM Login to report abuse Hmm fascinating.
	vermillion - 4/9/2012, 2:42 PM Login to report abuse They'll modernize Mandarin I bet, which is fine with me. He definitely looks the part.
	WolvieCBM - 4/9/2012, 2:44 PM Login to report abuse Great actor.
	SUPERBATSPIDERMAN - 4/9/2012, 2:45 PM Login to report abuse Isn't the Mandarin supposed to be Chinese. MAndarin is a Chinese word for Pete's sake.
	SoulAllFlush - 4/9/2012, 2:45 PM Login to report abuse As I keep saying about Nolan and his dislike of Robin, and of Raimi and Venom - if the Director doesn't want to do a certain character then he shouldn't be forced to. Someone else can do the Mandarin another time - hopeful while RDJ is still playing Iron Man, but if not then no matter. I trust Black to make the best film possible. And as long as Kingsley doesn't ham it up like he sometimes does in this cartoony roles then I look forward to this.
	superdawggiedawg - 4/9/2012, 2:45 PM Login to report abuse Oooh my god, the Mahatma?
	Boyle360 - 4/9/2012, 2:49 PM Login to report abuse Extremis was very good, but some things in it were completely ridiculous and not at all believable. Like how SPOILER Tony takes the Extremis and he's able to communicate his actions instantly to his armour because of his undersuit which is now STORED IN HIS FREAKING BONES and comes out, covering his skin when he needs to use it -_- I thought that was just plain dumb. But I'm sure they'd make a good movie out of it, with a few changes. :)
	sexfoodcomics - 4/9/2012, 2:49 PM Login to report abuse Did u guys not read the extremes story line that had th emandarin in it. She he wanted to make extremis bombs and set them off in major cities , either given gpeople powers or killing them, survival of the fittest. I bet it's going to be that storyline combined with the original warren Ellis one.
	marvel72 - 4/9/2012, 2:52 PM Login to report abuse ben kingsley in talks for iron man 3 & based on the extremis story,indeed very intresting.
	Asterisk - 4/9/2012, 2:52 PM Login to report abuse When Oskar Schindler figures out Stern is a villain, he's gonna flip.
	GreyChaos13Zero - 4/9/2012, 2:52 PM Login to report abuse cool, tho what's "Extremis"?)
	NextHero08 - 4/9/2012, 2:54 PM Login to report abuse Wow, talk about a pussy. Dude, have you seen the liberties they took with the Joker and see what happened? You can change the villains to an extent so that their not cheesy or stereotypical. Stop making excuses, I'll do it my damn self..
	Ha1frican - 4/9/2012, 2:56 PM Login to report abuse ^^google it
	Viltrumite - 4/9/2012, 2:56 PM Login to report abuse I could see him as the Mandarin. I'm hoping that the insiders are wrong. Or maybe they're right and he's just a modern/different portrayal of Mandarin?
	DudeGuyMan - 4/9/2012, 2:56 PM Login to report abuse Extremis is so awesome! YES!
	GUNSMITH - 4/9/2012, 2:56 PM Login to report abuse HEY GREY http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremis_(comics)
	Fogs - 4/9/2012, 2:57 PM Login to report abuse @GreyChaos13Zero - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremis_%28comics%29
	MassExecutions - 4/9/2012, 2:58 PM Login to report abuse Kingsley is a great actor who has been in some good movies and some horrible movies. Still dependent on director and script. The fights with Mallen were AWESOME in the Extremis storyline, so I hope something like that carries over to the film. Ditto, to Boyle360 regarding some parts going to far, however. I'm convened we're going to have to wait for another director to see the Mandarin, but I'm also pretty sure we're going to get 5 or 6 Iron Man movies, so we got time.
	Fogs - 4/9/2012, 2:58 PM Login to report abuse Thanks, GUNS. Kinsley is a hell of a actor. He and RDJ will make the theaters explode due to awesomeness.
	GUNSMITH - 4/9/2012, 2:59 PM Login to report abuse EXTREMIS Believing there was no other way to beat a new, technologically-enhanced terrorist, Tony decided to upgrade himself from human to cyborg and injected his body with a nanite virus called "Extremis." With Extremis, Tony Stark could now mentally tap into technology, giving him greater control of his armor and allowing him to do things such as “see” through the eyes of satellites and transmit data or cellphone message with his brain. Nanites in his bone marrow would create his under-armor around him at will. His body was fully under his control, allowing him to improve on his organs (enhancing brain power and doing away with his faulty, robotic heart) and giving him great healing abilities. A couple of years later, the alien Skrull race infected all Stark technology with a virus, including Extremis. This robbed Tony of his new abilities, though the changes he had done to his body could not be undone now, so he was still not technically a normal human being.
	PantherX - 4/9/2012, 3:00 PM Login to report abuse I'm guessing they'll come up with an original villain. Something tells me a "racist caricature" as Black calls it, wouldn't do wonders for some markets around the world.
	WesleyGibson - 4/9/2012, 3:01 PM Login to report abuse I hate the EXTREMIS armor. I think it takes away from Iron Man's humanity...kinda ruined it for me. On the other hand, Kingsley is truly a great actor, it's cool that he'd be offered a role for this.
	batpod0718 - 4/9/2012, 3:02 PM Login to report abuse Great actor. I'm sure they have something tricky in store.
	MassExecutions - 4/9/2012, 3:06 PM Login to report abuse Mandarin my have been a racist caricature, but its also true there have been plenty of evil, megalomaniac warlords of East Asian decent through history. Just like there have been ones from Western Europe, Russian, The Middle East, etc. He can be a great villain and they shouldn't let the fact he's been portrait as an Asian stereo type in the past keep him from seeing the screen.
	GUNSMITH - 4/9/2012, 3:06 PM Login to report abuse
	tocagado - 4/9/2012, 3:08 PM Login to report abuse http://goo.gl/4uT3O BK
	ralfinader - 4/9/2012, 3:09 PM Login to report abuse I am betting, since Favrau is no longer involved creatively, the plotlines hinting at the 10 rings and Mandarin are dropped without little mention. It's funny, but before the Thor movie, it was hard to imagine how Mandarin would fit into the Marvel Movieverse, so I was dreading the him as a villian. Now that tesseracts and gods are established, power rings don't seem so far-fetched.
	iamsohi - 4/9/2012, 3:10 PM Login to report abuse watch the iron man extremis motion comic on netflix,i loved it!
	Emjeed - 4/9/2012, 3:11 PM Login to report abuse Etremis is one of IM's best stories!.. I'm in love with the direction this movie is going
	Viltrumite - 4/9/2012, 3:11 PM Login to report abuse Apparently the villain is going to attempt to spread the Extremis virus through nanobots. That's identical to something Mandarin tried in a recent storyline.
	GUNSMITH - 4/9/2012, 3:12 PM Login to report abuse I DUNNO, EXTREMIS MADE IRON MAN TRULY "ONE WITH THE SUIT" A BUILT ARMOR COULD BE TAKEN WHEREAS EXTREMIS WAS HIM..I LIKE SEEING FORESEEABLE TECH..STUFF THAT CAN HAPPEN EVENTUALLY, ALTHOUGH IT IS TECH AND NOT ALIEN OR MAGIC IT IS PRETTY OUT THERE, IT COULD BE COOL TO SEE OR IT MIGHT BE A HIGH TECH VERSION OF VENOM..AND WE KNOW HOW WELL THAT TURNED OUT ON SCREEN, BUT HEY ITS RDJ..I TRUST THAT HE TRUSTS THIS DIRECTOR AND I TRUST HIM WHEN HE SAYS THIS WILL BE THE BEST ONE.
	GreyChaos13Zero - 4/9/2012, 3:13 PM Login to report abuse @GUNSMITH & @Fogs thanks. seems dark, interesting?)
	TheAmazingSpidey63 - 4/9/2012, 3:16 PM Login to report abuse Hmmm, great casting choice. He definitely has that "villiany" look to him. Not too sure what villian he'll portray as, but I'm sure he'll bring a good performance to this movie (I'm really hoping that they'll either have him play as Mandarin, I wouldn't mind that, or have a small cameo for Mandarin). And seeing how Marvel is going to have this movie go in the "Extremis" direction, I have to say that this will be interesting. I thought that Extremis was a great comic, so I honestly can't wait. @Gaston - I agree with you there. If Marvel needs to slightly change Manadarin so that he can fit in with the MCU and fit in with the story of the movie, then I don't mind at all. Like you said about what Nolan did with Joker in TDK, they had to alter him a bit so that he can fit the story and the movie, and it worked out great. Stay EPIC, my friends!
	Toasty - 4/9/2012, 3:19 PM Login to report abuse [frick] yes i was hoping they were going to introduce Extremis ever since the first IM film!
	TheAmazingSpidey63 - 4/9/2012, 3:20 PM Login to report abuse It'll be cool to see a similar armor design like the EXtremis armor. Doesn't need to look EXACTLY like it, but something close to it. ;)
	TheGambitFreakIsBatmanOfCBM - 4/9/2012, 3:22 PM Login to report abuse Never read Extremis, but I guess since it will have something to do with IM3, I'll buy the trade. HAven't heard anything good about it though, all the Iron Man fans hated it, Iron Man's big thing is, "Heroes aren't born, they're built" and as far as I know, they [frick] that up and turn him into a full fledge Superhero, but regardless, that storyline would work flawlessy if the villain turns out to be Ghost, but honestly, I am getting tired of Iron Man constantly working on his Arc Reactor, just get a new [frick]ing suit and kick ass! I just hope the don't go as far as making the suit a part of him.
	Nightmare7 - 4/9/2012, 3:27 PM Login to report abuse Thats cool that they have Kingsley and there using the Extremis line but Ive been hoping for a cool Mandarin storyline with Fin fang foom since Iron Man 1 wtf??
	AlexDeLarge87 - 4/9/2012, 3:32 PM Login to report abuse Kingsley is great villain choice whoever he plays.
	HelaGood - 4/9/2012, 3:32 PM Login to report abuse dont care who he plays... he will be an AWESOME VILLAIN!!
	AlexDeLarge87 - 4/9/2012, 3:33 PM Login to report abuse Im hoping they dont make the suit part of him too.
	CraptainAmerica - 4/9/2012, 3:33 PM Login to report abuse i may possibly be one of the only people who wouldn't want to see Extremis adapted. It's a very complex story itself. And I'm surprised so many DON'T want the Mandarin! I think he could be adapted perfectly given the new cosmic aspects of the MCU. Kingsley would be a better choice for that role than I could ever have imagined. I just wondered what the point of all of the 'Ten Rings' build-up in Iron Man & IM2 was if it was never going to be used. It was so prominent in the first movie and had an underlying participation in IM2. It seemed innevitable. That would be a pretty MASSIVE easter egg to include just for the sake of it. Regardless of what Black feels about the character, Marvel have their idea of what THEY want to do. Then the director falls somewhere in line to a degree. Whedon had free reign...within the perameters of what Marvel wanted storywise. Not just because I want it, but The Mandarin would be THE PERFECT foe for Tony. He's not a metal covered human like previous opponents and Tony will have swatted aside a God and an alien race come IM3. The villain has to be superior in every way. I still say we'll get the Mandarin. Hopefully Kingsley will be that guy.
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