Villain In Iron Man 3 Definitely Won’t Be The Mandarin, Says Director

Too much of a racist caricature, reckons Shane Black

“Iron Man never really had good villains,” mused Iron Man 3 director Shane Black at Long Beach Comic Con this weekend (reported by Comic Book Resources).

And when a member of the audience suggested Tony Stark’s main sparring partner in the character’s early days – The Mandarin – Black dismissed the oriental bad guy with his rings of power as a racist caricature. So that puts pay to that rumour. And anyway, superhero films featuring rings of power don’t appear to be good box office…

Black wouldn’t reveal who the villain would be, but did joke that his predecessor, director Jon Favreau, could act in the film as Happy Hogan. He also said that the film would not be a cameo-fest for other Avengers: “We really want to make it Tony’s movie.”

He also promises to make a film with bold choices and plans to set up multiple payoffs and reversals.

So, who do you think should be the villain in Iron Man 3?