thundercrack

PEGASUS. The two words are stenciled in black along the side of a few crates stacked at the parking structure this writer descends on the Raleigh Studios lot in Manhattan Beach. It's an overcast June afternoon and massive clouds belch an occasional thunder crack (producer Kevin Feige will joke later in the day that it's the sound of Kenneth Branagh prepping Thor). I'm just a stone's throw away from the offices of Marvel and these crates have me tripping nostalgic. "PEGASUS," you see, stands for "Potential Energy Group/Alternate Sources/United States" - a center for scientific study that appeared in various Marvel titles. It also appeared in Iron Man: Armored Adventures which is why it doesn't surprise me that these crates also read Stark Industries.

The hall of armor has expanded. Here one finds the Mark 1 displayed next to an empty slot reserved for the Mark 2 - its whereabouts right now are unknown. The Mark 3 stands battered and tarnished, reminders of Stark's battle with the Iron Monger. Then there's the new suit - similar to the Mark 3, however, look closely and you'll notice slight changes to the joints, knees and abdomen area. It's more streamlined.

From my perspective we did everything we could to make it lighter, easier, more flexible,says Favreau, and we've shot more with it.
The director is preparing a scene with Downey who is hunkered over a giant model sitting on a table in his workshop. This is the Stark Expo, I'm told.

It is something that Howard Stark [Tony's father] has done for years and years and the last one he had done was in 1974,explains producer Feige.Tony Stark is part of his new, 'I'm not making weapons anymore, I've declared to the world that I'm Iron Man. I've got to do something.' He has reestablished this Stark Expo event which is kind of a combination of World's Fair, Macworld kind of an event.

Yes, ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! is back on the set of yet another Tony Stark romp, Iron Man 2 which has been shooting in and around Los Angeles. Today, the production is spread out across Raleigh where director Jon Favreau is reunited with Robert Downey, Jr., reprising his role as Stark. (Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson round out the principal cast.)

The pair is found inside a soundstage where Stark's workshop has been recreated...with a few notable changes since I was on the set of the first picture.

After a brief prep session, the gang is ready to shoot and I'm allowed to watch the scene play out.
The camera pushes over the Stark Expo model; little white buildings, trees and a globe drift by as Stark peers over it like a kid transfixed on his train set. "The key to the future is where?" Stark questions. A "cut!" is called and once Favreau is satisfied a new set-up is requested. And I'm invited into the workshop to play "spot the changes" since the first film.

In a lounge area to my right - carpeted with a couch, coffee table, the usual accoutrements used to relax - maps of Antarctica and a blueprint of Captain America's shield. Stark's collection of cars has grown and he's got a few new gadgets lying around. And if you loved his robot assistants, they're back, too.

What's widely apparent is the floor. Glistening, black and constantly being polished by an on-set production assistant. In the film, this entire floor - which I'm required to wear non-scuff booties if I'm going to walk on it - will serve a holographic projection system. Similar to what you saw Stark playing with on a table in the first film, except bigger and better.

Favreau adds,This is pretty deep into the film. Tony Stark is trying to – without getting too specific with what it is, there's a mystery that Tony is pursuing as it relates to upgrading the technology that he's dealing with. So, he's trying to figure out solutions to problems that he's having with his tech.