Tony Stark, however, is not one to be outdone. In this clip from Iron Man 3, he displays perhaps the most impressive helicopter slaughter yet — killing it with a rocket-propelled piano. Here, writer/director Shane Black proves he still knows his way around action. It’s like a super-powered version the surfboard scene from Lethal Weapon 2, proving that writer/director Shane Black still knows how to craft a memorable action scene. Your move, The Expendables 3.

Jeremy Renner – Senior Trip

Before he threw himself into mortal danger in The Hurt Locker, Jeremy Renner was an actor looking for his big break. It certainly didn’t come when he booked his first role as Mark “Dags” D’Agastino in National Lampoon’s Senior Trip. The floppy-haired, study-hatin’ rad party dude traveled to Washington with the rest of his class after writing a letter to the President about how much school sucks. Apparently the President agreed 100% and invited them as his honored guests to discuss how to make class lessons as awesome as beer is.

This was the Clinton administration we’re talking about here.

Scarlett Johansson – My Brother the Pig

She’s an international star nowadays regarded for her beauty and poise, but Scarlett Johansson was once much like every other girl. She had to worry about school and popularity and not getting grounded after accidentally turning her brother into a pig.

And shame on you, Eva Mendes. You were old enough to know better.

Clooney is set to appear alongside Sandra Bullock in Gravity, a film following the plight of two astronauts who find themselves stranded among the stars after an asteroid cripples their space station and kills their entire team in the process. Clooney, who will play the leader of the decimated astro-squad, snagged the role after Robert Downey Jr. dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Bullock’s character, a mother determined to get back to her children on earth, will reportedl drive much of the film’s plot.

Alfonso Cuaron will direct the Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures flick. Production is set to begin between April and May of next year, provided that an asteroid hasn’t collided with the planet and destroyed all life by that point. (Deadline)

^{Before’Iron Man‘ there was ‘The Shaggy Dog’. Thank God for ‘Iron Man‘.}

Columbia Pictures have picked up the rights to The Game author Neil Strauss‘s book Emergency!: This Book Will Save Your Life. Robert Downey Jr. is on board to produce and possibly star in the film version that will also save your life.

The book details the three years that Strauss spent in the West Indies, educating himself to be able to handle any disaster situation. Everything from terror attacks to earthquakes to when best pal Mystery misplaces his furry top hat. I don’t know why he’d have to travel to the West Indies for that. A few weeks with Ted Nugent should have been all he needed. Allan Loeb is writing the screenplay, which make perfect sense. Who better to save your life than the guy who gets laid using magic tricks, the guy who wrote Kevin James’s fart jokes, and the guy who co-starred with Tim Allen in The Shaggy Dog?

Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity may have lost Angelina Jolie, but it now looks like Scarlett Johansson will fill her ridiculously hot shoes. Bleeding Cool reports that Johansson has verbally agreed to star in the film with her Iron Man 2 co-star Robert Downey Jr..

Johansson’s role in Iron Man 2 didn’t amount to much beyond the trailer, so don’t go thinking she and RDJ are the next Bogart and Bacall. This could all be talk, but that’s no reason to poo-poo the idea. Please put any negativity aside for a moment or two and imagine Scarlett at zero G’s. That’s something we could all have if we wish together. We can do this!!

The debut trailer for Todd Phillips‘s Due Date reunites the director with Zach Galifianakis and Mike Tyson‘s dog from The Hangover. In the film, Robert Downey Jr. is en route to see the birth of his child but must travel with a BluBlockered Galifianakis and keep him safe from the ever-present threat of waffles. If only there were someone in Vince Vaughn’s life willing to do the same.

WATCH THE MAKINGS OF A DISASTERIOUS ROAD TRIP AFTER THE JUMP…

Due Date Trailer – Watch more Movie Trailers

It’s official: Sam Raimi is on board to direct Disney’s Wizard of Oz prequel. Robert Downey Jr. has also been confirmed, and will play the titular Wizard. The film will explore the character’s rise from a circus wrangler in Kansas to a great and powerful sorcerer in the land of Oz.

Based on the success of Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland, Disney has high hopes for the prequel. Like Alice, Oz is a new spin on a classic children’s tale and will be shot in 3D. But unlike Alice, Oz will not be eerily similar to every other film Tim Burton has ever made. (Deadline)

Iron Man 2 has been in theaters for less than a week, but that didn’t stop director Jon Favreau from speculating on the villain for Iron Man 3. And if Favreau has his way, Tony Stark will be taking on The Mandarin in the next installment of the popular franchise.

"You’ve got to do The Mandarin", says the director, who has been teasing this in the films already with tiny references to the Ten Ring organization, "but the problem is, the way he’s depicted in the comic books… you don’t want to see that."

The "problem" Favreau is referring to is the fact that the character, an evil descendant of Genghis Khan, has been criticized for being nothing more than a negative Asian stereotype. However, I have no doubt that Hollywood can work around this problem, changing the The Mandarin to a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant businessman hellbent on oppressing minorities and destroying the environment, while still maintaining the essence of the character.

However, since Tony Stark is set to appear in the upcoming Avengers film, work on Iron Man 3 will have to wait until at least 2012. And if my sources inside the government are correct, by that time Hollywood will have already been destroyed in a limited nuclear exchange with the Chinese, making concern about The Mandarin a moot point. (Empire)

This one’s for all of you losers who went out Saturday night and missed "Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards". Your incessant need to beer bong and talk to women almost prevented you from seeing this Iron Man 2 TV spot featuring footage unseen heretofore. This new spot shows off Scarlett Johannson’s talent for saying words and reveals that her character doesn’t have the Russian accent she was expected to have. Up until now, I didn’t even notice she hadn’t talked in the previous ads. Between that and Don Cheadle‘s little moment, I guess the intent is to remind the public that there are actors in this movie amongst all the CGI.

Also note that there is zero footage of Mickey Rourke as villain Whiplash in this spot. Test groups show that Mickey Rourke doesn’t chart well with the youth demographic. Something about him being "scary" and "murder eyes." All that can be changed though by casting him as a rough around the edges babysitter who also is a spy. It’s your move FOX.

Watch the spot after the jump.

Iron Man 2 – TV Spot Kids Choice Awards 2010 – Watch more Funny Videos

The international poster for Iron Man 2 has arrived online and shows a bad-ass Mickey Rourke walking away from an explosion while Scarlett Johannson reminds us that her ass is in the movie. Look at Rourke just trying to walk away. Whenever there’s arson in Hollywood he’s the immediate suspect. Don’t try to pin this one on Robert, Mickey. He’s put those days behind him.

Just before the credits rolled on Iron Man, Tony Stark revealed to the world that he is indeed the armored hero. In the sequel, the filmmakers explore the effects of living in public view by likening the life of a superhero to that of a celebrity. Director Jon Favreau discussed this parallel with the Los Angeles Times:

"Robert had strong points of view on these things. He was propelled quite publicly to a much more successful station and we were able to draw upon that. We were able to comment on the phenomena of celebrity as we know it today."… "It allowed us to draw upon our experiences and certainly Robert’s experiences."

Robert’s experiences? Does that mean that we can expect to see Iron Man blow rails off hookers while wearing a Wonder Woman costume? Seems to me that’s what he’s hinting at. You can quote Favreau on this one you guys. (LA Times)

^{Or are they???}

When you’re a bro as in demand as Robert Downey Jr., bromances come and bromances go. And Jon Favreau needs to understand that.

News has broken that Downey Jr. has dropped out of Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens in favor of broin’ out with Jude Law on the set of the Sherlock Holmes sequel. The success of the first Sherlock Holmes has prompted Warner Brothers to fast-track the sequel and put it before cameras this June, which is exactly the same time that Cowboys & Aliens is planning to begin principal photography.

It looks like this was strictly a business decision and Favreau should not take Downey’s broparture to heart. I’m sure he’ll find another bro who’s brotastic enough for the part. That Matthew McConaughey seems nice. Just talk it over with Vince Vaughn. He’s always there for a bro in need. (EW)

According to Nikki Finke, Oscar asked Ben Stiller and crazy Robert Downey Jr. if they wanted to host his awards show this year as a duo, and the guys gave The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ a duo of middle fingers. Alright, maybe it wasn’t quite that harsh, but apparently they did say no. Maybe Adam Shankman, director of this year’s ceremony, can still get the guys to hop up on stage and explain to the actors why you never go full retard. My guess is Sean Penn will have a scowl on his puss that could crumble The Kodak Center right then and there.