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FIRST LOOK

First Look: Mickey Rourke as Whiplash in Iron Man 2!

by Alex Billington
June 9, 2009
Source: USA Today

Whoa! Jon Favreau is definitely on top of all the buzz. People have been asking to see Mickey Rourke as Whiplash since he's been talking about him kicking so much ass on Twitter. And now we have our first look courtesy of USA Today! Rourke stars as Ivan Vanko aka the villain Whiplash in Iron Man 2. His "outfit" consists of a power pack on his chest that looks similar to the one used by Tony Stark. "The technologies are definitely related, and that's part of the core theme of the film," explains director Jon Favreau. This is probably not what you're expecting to see (I wasn't), but it's awesome to see Rourke suited up nonetheless.

Whiplash has "constructed his own version of a suit," which is where the initial confusion about Rourke playing Crimson Dynamo came from. His suit includes a pair of whips, powered by the chest piece that he's "going to light them up." Favreau wouldn't confirm whether the character stays completely true to the roots of the comic. "We like to play into and against the expectations that people might have so, we mixed it up a bit," Favreau says. "Robert has a tremendous screen presence. So it was very important that the villain be as compelling as can be. Once I thought of Mickey in that role, it made me understand how to shape the story."

Filed under First Look, Hype, Photos

From around the web:

PJH

This is fucking Great!!!!!!!
nelson

looks like an intergalactic inmate still cool tho
Timothy

He doesn't quite look Russian, but this suit looks pretty awesome.
d

What kind of weapons does he use? Mickey Rourke FTW!!!!
L

This isn't Mickey Rourke in Iron Man 2. This is Mickey Rourke going out to get his mail in the morning.
CLZ

Mickey Rourke is awesome, but whips....honestly....WHIPS. Is this gonna be some comic book hardcore porn movie because that is really the only possible expectation I have as of right now due to the fact that Mickey uses...whips.
Greedo the Rodian

Looks like Rowdy Roddy Piper.
Greedo the Rodian

Looks like he's at a Nascar track. Did he just super-whip a car or something? Along with Roddy Piper, the outfit looks a little bit like the one worn by the villain in Superman 4.
Richard

It reminds me of Omega Red, he had some bad ass whip things too. I was hoping he'd be in the next wolverine or x-men or something, but probably not now. BTW it looks pretty cool, a little like exposed, but cool anyway.
Dan Walimaa

Oooo-kay?
cat

what the hell kind of suit is that? looks whack but I'll stick with Favreau saying he knows what's he's doing.
Catwoman?

Unless this guy is indestructable, I don't see how this suit and its tentacles have a chance. Might be speaking too soon, but this looks lame.
SlashBeast

Not at all impressed. Of all the amazing villains and possibilities, this can’t possibly be the best available. It just doesn’t look at all good or even realistic considering the first movie.
Bo

Awesome, and I guess he crashes in on a Nascar race?
1-7

This is so hopelessly illogical. All Iron Man has to do is land ONE punch in his face or chest and he's done.
a

Looks like someone out of the mad max movies
tankmaster

BadAsss!!!
Derek

ehh....um....no comment....yes I do have a comment...imo....it looks stupid, very stupid. Hopefully he will look better when the film comes out.
Maxx

Honestly this could very well be in the beginning of the film because he still has his prison jumpsuit on so he could have just broke out and designed the suit. I trust Favreau because he actually cares about the audience. Not the paycheck...though i bet it was pretty nice from Iron Man Lets just see what happens and guys...its Mickey Rourke...probably the most bad ass actor since Mel Gibson in his Mad Max days.
JAY

This scene has to have something to do with him breaking out of the Russian Prison: 1) He is in classic prisoner orange. 2) Guards in the back ground. Maybe it some kind of sick Russian prison fight, that he escapes after?
JAY

#19 we are on the same sheet of music.
Black Dynomite

I agree with #15. But it could be the beginning of the film.
Nthngmn

Yeah, I bet it's at the beginning of the movie too: Bad guy breaks out of jail using homemade tech (a la how Tony Stark survived in the first movie), only to later upgrade to a more serious suit of armour after Iron Man hands his ass to him during their first fight.....BADA BEEP, BABA BOP, BADA BOOP, Iron Man 2.
zach

look by his left arm!!!! a racing helmet!!!!!!!!!!!!
zach

look above the left arm in the background!!! boom total racing helmet! haha anyways this looks great this is obviously a unfinished suit or something still looks great!!!
Dan W

My question is: How is he going to even compare to Iron Man and all his advanced weaponry when all he has is two whips?
Darren

Number 3 you just gotta look at the tatts man you just gotta look at the tatts
Corey

Isn't this the first of a series of photos?
Corey

@15. All Whiplash has to do is whip the shit out of him before he get's to his face.
http://vimeo.com/user1764245 Nick Sears

nice one #5
TediusTed

ha ha! Oh F*ck!
Ashley

Mickey is gonna rock in this movie. Hes one of the best actors out there.
eric

i seriously dont think whiplash was a wise villain to choose because one, what the flagnog could his whips do against repulsars not to mention the uni-beam. Also are they gonna make him a big enuff threat to throw in War Machine i mean Favreau should have done a villain that would stand a "logical" chance against iron man. Mickey rourke is a fantastic actor just to add. DO SOME MATH PEOPLE DONT "AWED" JUST CUZ THE CRAAP LOOKS COOL.
harrison

very underwelming, but should be a great movie nonetheless
JimD

This is going to be an awesome matchup. Not so much because of the Iron Man and Whiplash thing, but you basically have two of the best darkhorse actors as enemies against one another. Mickey Rourke VS Robert Downey, Jr. spectacular casting. People are realizing that Robert Downey Jr is a truly talented actor who got lost in his real life trouble. Now they get to realize that Mickey Rourke, the guy that impressed people like Jack Nicholson is the other great actor who himself lost himself early in his career.
SHANEDAV

I went in thinking IRON MAN is going to be a OK film. The film blew me away and nothing would stop me from watching the second...
Toucmyinfection

maybe he'll hit RDJ with "THE RAM JAM!!" :p
Cleaning Woman

RANDY! RANDY! RANDY! We love you Randy! MAKE LOVE TO ME RANDY, PLEASE!!!
Alfredo

this clearly looks like it's a gladiator type thing going on. Whiplash is still in jail, and I guess they pit inmates against one another for some reason. Either racing or fighting. This is very clearly Whiplash's first attempt at a costume, as other people have speculated. How he managed to build an Iron Man type chest piece in prison is beyond me, though.
dom

I knew this would have to change drastically to fit into John's version of the Iron Man story. Much more realistic - but hell it certainly looks clumsy.
Wottock Hunt

Is this a joke? Or a fake? Or did they run out of money when it came to creating Rourke's costume? Looks like shit.
Felix

Btw, for anyone who is confused: Rourke is going to play the male (obviously) Whiplash, he his now known as Blacklash but they don't really stay all that true to his character. They merged Whiplash with Crimson Dynamo. Whiplash used actual whips that he completely controlled but he didn't have a battle-suit, only a bulletproof one. As far as I can remember, Whiplash worked for Stark and was american. Crimson however was "a" russian villain, there have been twelve different Crimsons, the latest four was never given an Alter Ego. He uses a battle-suit that works like an exoskeleton, giving him superhuman durability and strength. One version of Crimson had a chest-mounted fusion-caster, probably similar to what Iron Man has. As far as I can see, Rourke is wielding one whip in each hand, will probably get some kind of armored suit and is going to be a great villain for Iron Man to tackle. Seeing as he is from russia in the movie, he will likely team up with Black Widow (also russian) and wreck havoc so War Machine has to enter the battle, woho!
Robbie

AWESOME!!
Shockwave's Ghost

Looks like a fan-made suit at a Comic-Con.
9mm

Looks like something Dave Carradine would wear in the closet.
bcbenzel

This is actually relatively close to what Whiplash looked like in the comic books, save the chestpiece. It will be interesting to see how they portray him, but so far he at least looks very similar to the comic book character.
Cody

I still think we're going to see the Mandarin, especially after the terrorist group in the first Iron Man called themselves "The Ten Rings".
Papichulo

Sorry guys, my first reaction is WTF!? I'll reserve my opinion until I see the movie but so far I don't like this. I agree with #44.
MiKeDeEz

L* HAHAHAHHA! This isn't Mickey Rourke in Iron Man 2. This is Mickey Rourke going to yoga on a easy sunday morning!
Papichulo

Wow...I just looked up Whiplash in the comics and his costume looks like something out of an S&M flick. But Rourke's version looks like junk yard scrap. I'm thinking this is his first version of his suit and by the end of the movie he'll have a sleek version like Downey did in IM1.
Felix

Just realized that the aircrafts hunting Stark in Irak, when he's making the first field test of the Iron Man combat capabilities, are called Whiplash 1 and 2, suppose we should have forseen Whiplash being in Iron Man 2. And also realized that Black Widow is actually a superhero, not a villain.
Robbie

Well, I don't think this is everything we will see from Whiplash, because he's still wearing his prisonsuit..
zetsu

sorry doesn't do much for me,i was hoping for the fucking crimson dynamo & sexy hot (i want to be fucked by you) picture of the black widow.
Caleb

awesome!!
Fisherr

I like his looks hope they give a suit eventually he will look more bad ass with a suit.
Trey

its prolly a unfinished suit
Superchyle

Im starting to wonder if anyone reads Iron Man comics . All the complainst about his charcater ? His name is Whiplash what did u expect? Also Whiplash used whips in the comics. This isint new Geez some people .
dave

i live down the street from where this is being filmed (downey studios). its a race track he's on, theres a banner that reads Monaco grandprix . its a big scene to let people know, the back ground of this whole set is mostly green screen minus the stands and makeshift track of course. but yeah, should make for an intense action scene.
dave

i live down the street from where this is being filmed (downey studios). its a race track he's on, theres a banner that reads Monaco grandprix . its a big scene to let people know, the back ground of this whole set is mostly green screen minus the stands and makeshift track of course. but yeah, should make for an intense action scene.
Ray

Mickey is the biggest closet fag i've ever seen! im sorry, i take that back. The gay CAN act! hes just a big jackass with no talent! when are people gonna notice this like in the 90's?
Bender

Mickey Rourke as Whiplash? That's what I call a baddass villain. Whiplash is more of a villain than Tim Burton's would be Red Queen will ever be. Can The Black Widow outsex the White Queen?
sam

he looks like the hobo nightguard x project gone high def
Jim

Been hunting around in the preview art we get through work and we have had stacks of pics where stark is wearing a nascar suit and with blood on his face, perhaps Rourke turned up at the track after escaping to get back at Stark ??
JOhnny Graves

Yeah... that bit shoulda been left outta the trailer.... Iron man drops from a plane into his demo show, awesome, This looks like the props department quit halfway through.