The official announcement:

The billionaire Super Hero in the iron suit is back in Marvel Studios’ and Paramount Pictures’ thrilling sensation IRON MAN 2, debuting on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download September 28, 2010. Packed with fantastic battles, stunning visual effects and an all-star cast, the new blockbuster adventure will be available to own as a three-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with digital copy, as a limited edition two-disc DVD with digital copy, or as a single disc DVD. In this highly-anticipated sequel, Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes, Tropic Thunder) reprises his role as Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, in a thrill-a-minute story filled with explosive action, new suits and powerful new villains. The phenomenal cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man), Don Cheadle (Oceans series), Scarlett Johansson (He’s Just Not That Into You) as the seductive Black Widow, Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) as the vengeful Whiplash, as well as Sam Rockwell (Charlie’s Angels) and Samuel L. Jackson (The Other Guys).

To date, with over $300 million at the domestic box office, IRON MAN 2 has delighted audiences with its combination of high-intensity action, intelligence and humor. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack comes fully loaded with immersive and interactive bonus materials including an in-depth, feature-length documentary of the making of the film, revealing featurettes about Nick Fury, Black Widow and War Machine, a look inside the creation of Stark Expo, deleted scenes and an exclusive peek inside the Marvel Super Hero Universe through the S.H.I.E.L.D. Data Vault.

IRON MAN 2 Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

The Iron Man 2 Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and Brazilian Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. The DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The disc breakdown is as follows:

Disc 1 (Blu-ray):

* Feature film with optional commentary by Jon Favreau (HD)
* S.H.I.E.L.D. Data Vault (HD)— Extend your knowledge of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with high-level clearance into S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s digital data vault. Interact with select scenes from the movie that include new layers of graphics and insider information. View case files, dossiers, S.H.I.E.L.D. training films, tech details and more.
* Previsualization and Animatics (HD)

Disc 2 (Blu-ray):

* Ultimate Iron Man: The Making of Iron Man 2 (HD)
o Rebuilding the Suit—An all-encompassing look at the beginning stages of this mammoth blockbuster.
o A Return to Action—From Marvel Studios to the streets of Monaco, Jon Favreau takes viewers through the trials and triumphs of continuing Iron Man’s story.
o Expanding the Universe—From the amazing sets of Stark Expo to Tony Stark’s home and beyond, the Marvel Universe continues to unfold into new and exciting places.
o Building a Legacy—From filming to editing, scoring and visual effects, Favreau and his team face the challenges of bringing the sequel to the big screen.
* Featurettes (HD)
o Creating Stark Expo—A look at how the sets and computer-generated elements combine to create the massive set piece.
o Practical Meets Digital—How the “practical” props inform the “digital” work that ultimately brings our hero to life on screen.
o Illustrated Origin: Nick Fury—A comprehensive journey into creating one of the most mysterious and influential heroes in the Marvel Universe.
o Illustrated Origin: Black Widow—An exciting look at the new femme fatale introduced in Iron Man 2.
o Illustrated Origin: War Machine—A look at the introduction of the character and how his friendship with Tony Stark resonates with fans.
o Working with DJ AM—Jon Favreau remembers working with Adam Goldstein.
* Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by Jon Favreau (HD)
o Alternate Opening
o Coulson at the Senate
o The Sub-Orbital Jet
o Tony’s Workshop (extended)
o Natalie Wears the Gauntlet
o Flying Party Girl
o Mark II Security
o Element Rediscovered (extended)
* Concept Art Gallery
* Theatrical Trailers (HD)
* Music Video: AC/DC “Shoot To Thrill”

Disc 3 (DVD):

* Feature Film
* Digital Copy

IRON MAN 2 Two-Disc DVD

The Iron Man 2 DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The disc breakdown is as follows:

Disc 1:

* Feature film with optional commentary by Jon Favreau

Disc 2:

* Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by Jon Favreau
o Alternate Opening
o Coulson at the Senate
o Natalie Wears the Gauntlet
o Element Rediscovered (extended)
* Featurettes
o Creating Stark Expo
o Practical Meets Digital
* Music Video: AC/DC “Shoot To Thrill“
* Digital Copy

The single-disc DVD includes the feature film with commentary by Jon Favreau.

“We want to reinforce a lot of the stuff we started to tip off,” Favreau told MTV News. “‘The Avengers’ is a much larger concern for Marvel and Kevin Feige, who runs Marvel. They’re going to be doing ‘Thor’ and ‘Captain America,’ and the way we might start to tease those things in this movie, some of it is stuff that we’ve discussed [and] some of the stuff you do last-minute as you figure out how that stuff is coming together.”

“It’s an evolving, amorphous thing,” he explained. “If we decide and commit too early, the secret always gets out.”

“They’ll have to [find a different director], because I’m not going to be available,” he explained. “It’s something I’m being the executive producer on, so I’ll definitely have input and a say.”

“It’s going to be hard, because I was so involved in creating the world of Iron Man and Iron Man is very much a tech-based hero, and then with ‘Avengers’ you’re going to be introducing some supernatural aspects because of Thor,” he continued. “How you mix the two of those works very well in the comic books, but it’s going to take a lot of thoughtfulness to make that all work and not blow the reality that we’ve created.”

“That’s why it’s good that you have the guys from Marvel like Kevin Feige, who knows the books well and has been involved with the making of all the movies, and he’ll be very involved with ‘Thor’ and ‘Cap,’” said Favreau. “You need somebody who has the perspective of all the different franchises to bring them together. I have the myopic vision of just knowing and loving Iron Man.“

This opens up the question, who should direct the Avengers movie?

In the second video, there’s a lot of repeated footage, really milking their Robert Downey Jr. interview. Still worth a watch as there’s a bit more about the action scenes:

More Oxfam auctions are also up for grabs, including limited edition Scarlett Johansson vinyl and signed photos.

Q: WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS AUCTION?
A: You are bidding on tickets for two (2 seats) to the U.S. premiere of IRON MAN 2, the opportunity for you and your guest to meet Scarlett Johansson, and a complimentary hair & makeup/grooming session at Christophe Salon (for 1 person). Please note: All travel, hotel, and any local transportation arrangements are the responsibility of the winner and are not included in this auction.

Q: WHEN & WHERE IS THE PREMIERE?
A: The premiere is currently scheduled for May 2010 in Los Angeles. Early arrival at the premiere is recommended. The date and location are subject to change, but the winner will be given an opportunity to attend the changed date/location should that occur. The seller will not reimburse any travel costs incurred due to a changed date/location.

- The footage opens in the giant donut and a conversation between Tony Stark and Nick Fury — Stark doesn’t want to join the team.
– It then cuts to a courtroom scene that sees the government attempting to strip Stark of his Iron Man suit
– Rhodey enters to testify against Stark.
– Whiplash is out to get Tony as revenge for the Stark families’ atrocities, explained by a voiceover whilst Rourke constructs a suit of his own.
– There’s a quick shot of Black Widow in action and then Whiplash flicking his two great electro-whips.
– Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) is now seen, talking about Iron Man suit modifications “firepower” — retrofitting guns and armor. Rhodey says he’ll take it.
– Then there’s a quick shot of the complete War Machine suit.

Description via SHH

As mentioned before, the footage opened with Iron Man sitting in a giant donut enjoying one of those fine pastries when Sam Jackson shows up as Nick Fury and shouts to him, “Stark, I’m going to have to ask you to exit the donut!” Then they’re in the coffee shop and Stark is telling Fury he doesn’t want to join his “super secret boy band,” and Fury says that he remembers that Stark likes doing everything himself. Stark jokes that he’s not sure whether he should be looking at Fury’s patch or his eye and suggest that maybe Fury is a figment of his imagination, but Fury assures him that he is “very real, I’m the realest person you’re ever going to meet.” “Just my luck,” responds Stark.

The courtroom scene is fairly revealing about one of the main plotpoints, which involves the government wanting to get the Iron Man armor away from Stark, because they consider it a “specialized weapon” that they should own. The scene starts with Shandling’s Senator Stern banging his gavel on the table to call the hearings to order, suggesting they continue where they left off and when he tries to get Stark’s attention, Stark quips, “Yes, dear?” Stern wants to know whether Stark considers the armor a “specialized weapon” but Stark says that he sees it more as a “hi-tech prosthetic.” But Stern insists that it is a weapon, and they go back and forth for a little while with the type of quick dialogue that was all over the first movie. Stark ends the discussion by saying, “I am Iron Man, the suit and I are one” and he suggests that turning over the suit would be “tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution.” When Stern begins to respond that he’s no expert, Stark says, “In prostitution? Of course not, you’re a senator.” Stern then calls Lt. Col. James Rhodes to the stand and Cheadle walks in, met halfway down the aisle by Stark who says he’s surprised to see his friend Rhodey being called to testify against him. Rhodey responds, “It’s me, I’m here, deal with it and let’s move on.” (That first bit sounds like a response to the fact that Cheadle was replacing Terrence Howard in the role.) Stern asks if Stark is trying to make a point to which Downey gives one of those great speeches from the first movie, claiming to be a “nuclear detterent” who is keeping America safe, saying that he has successfully “privatized world peace.” “What more do you want?” he asks to cheers from the courtroom (and the audience). He gets the senator so riled up that he yells, “F*ck you, Mr. Stark” but it’s bleeped by the CNN cameras.

Watching the scene with Mickey Rourke as Whiplash was much easier to hear and understand a second time as the audience remained a lot quieter, and essentially the voiceover reveals that Whiplash is getting revenge on some of the things that the Stark family has done in the past. The voiceover explains this as Rourke’s character sits at the workbench soldering his own bit of technology that will turn him into Whiplash. The voiceover starts something like, “You come from world of thieves and butchers” and it talks about how Tony is forgetting how many lives the Stark family has destroyed with their actions. It states that there will be blood in the water and the sharks will come, which is clearly referring to himself and the Black Widow, who we see briefly in action, and then Rourke lets out a great laugh. As mentioned earlier, the quickly cut footage leads to the first look at Whiplash in his full costume (similar to the picture that was released a few weeks ago) and he’s whipping these insane energy whips on the ground sending up sparks. That leads into a shot of Iron Man flying through the air and the new “Iron Man 2″ logo to the opening chords of the Sabbath song.

The last bit clearly ties into the courtroom scene earlier where Rhodey is remaining faithful to his government like a good soldier and they have called upon weapons expert Justin Hammer, played by Sam Rockwell, to modify the first wave Iron Man armor into something more suitable of either taking on or replacing Stark’s Iron Man. Hammer walks up to the original Iron Man lying on a table asking what they did to it, which Rhodes says is classified then asks what Hammer is going to do for them. “I’m talking about firepower,” he clarifies. Hammer says they’re talking to the right guy and he starts pulling out all sorts of guns and weapons to retrofit on the armor, but doesn’t seem to be getting much reaction from Rhodes or the general, even with something he calls “Uncle Gazpacho or Puff the Magic Dragon.” Cheadle says “I think I’ll take it…” and when Hammer asks which one, Rhodey responds, “All of it.” And then we see our first look at the retrofitted Iron Man armor as WAR MACHINE, which looks BAD-ASS!!

Description via /Film

Tony Stark is eating a donut while laying in the hole of the huge donut on the roof of Randy’s Donuts. Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury yells up “Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to exit the donut!”

Cut to: Stark and Fury inside the restaurant eating and chatting. Stark asks if Fury was going to ask him to join his group again, to which Nick responds “I remember, you do everything yourself. How is that working out for you?” Stark asks Fury if he is supossed to look at his working eye or the eye patch.

Cut to: A government court hearing, where Tony is talking with Pepper Potts a few rows behind him. Senator Stern Asks Tony if he posseses a weapon, the iron man weapon. Stark says that its not a weapon, and that technically it’s a high tech prosthesis.

“Its a weapon Mr Stark!

“If your priority was to protect…”

“Well you can forget it!”

“I am Iron Man, the suit and I am one. You cant have it!”

The Senator calls Rhodey to the stand. Rhodey walks by Stark and tells him he’ll deal with it.

The Senator asks Stark what his point is and Stark responds that his point is “You’re welcome, I’m your nuclear deterrent,” … “I’ve kept the world safe, what more do you want? I tried to play ball with these ass clowns!” The Senator then says “F— You Mr. Stark!”

A montage begins with shots of newspapers and magazines with Stark on the cover. Voice over in a Russian accent “You come from a family of thieves and butchers…” Shots of Rourke putting together his whiplash suit. A bunch of random shots, including a bunch of girls dancing in front of a display with the American flag, and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, kicking ass. Rourke arrives at the race car track in his Whiplash suit. He activates it and the wires light up with electricity as he whips them around. Stark is bloody, in his racing suit, down on the concrete. We see a close-up of Rourke laughing.

Cut to: Iron Man flying through the night air, dodging missiles which explode behind him, as he blasts towards Earth.

The Iron Man 2 logo appears on the screen, along with the music.

Then we get an extra sequence. Rhodey in a air plane hanger. Justin Hammer walks over and asks what this is about and Rhodey says it’s classified. Hammer looks down at a suit, which appears to be Stark’s old Mark II armor. “Is that what I think it is?” “What can you do for us?” Hammer shows Rhodey a bunch of different weaponry. Rhodey tells Hammer “I think i’ll take it.” “Which one?” “All of it.” Cut to: A shot of War Machine blasting off his guns.

Don Cheadle interview

MTV cornered Don Cheadle at SDCC, allowing him to comment on War Machine:

“War Machine makes a very impactful appearance in the movie. It’s significant.”

Plot details

The article also offers up some very interesting plot details.

As we already know, Sam Rockwell is playing the weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer, “who fancies himself the next Tony Stark”. Rourke plays the new villain Whiplash, aka Russian criminal Vanko — Vanko creates his first suit whilst imprisoned, his final suit fires “devastating, whip-like beams.”

Whiplash and Hammer join forces to take on Iron Man. Meanwhile Natasha Romanoff is hired as Stark’s assistant (to replace Pepper Potts, now CEO of Stark Industries). This ultimately leads to romantic tensions.

Rourke also reveals that his character enjoys talking to a cockatoo whilst drunk.

@awalker2334 thx! im excited. @jonfavreau is awesome! http://www.variety.com/arti…

@tr1gun it is definitely a bigger role than “big stan”..

Before joking,

@JammedHands haha.. yes, spoiler. I am playing the role of War Machine in Iron Man 2. Terrance Howard, Don Cheadle and now Olivia Munn! ha!

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On Thor

Quesada talks with great passion about Branagh and Kevin Feige’s creative partnership, and the delight it was to watch them explore the Thor ideas and mythology. His approach to the Thor franchise is Shakespearean, explaining emotions between characters in each scene, their motivation and how it relates to the movie’s plot.

Character development looks like it shall play a significant part in the Thor adaptation, Quesada describes this quality as “quintessential” in creating a Marvel movie. There are capes and big hammers, but, “It’s about what makes characters tick”. And Quesada adds, “there’s reasons and motivations for him to hit people with his hammer… hard!”

When it comes to marketing Thor, it’s all about raising awareness before the movie’s release. Similar to the Iron Man approach, Thor’s character shall be introduced to kids through animation, in particular in “Super Hero Squad” and “Avengers Animated”.

On Iron Man 2

Quesada describes Favreau as intense and cerebral, and is again happy to relay the director’s understanding and passion for the Tony Stark character, “Why put on the suit?”. Favreau’s approach is about having the world’s most powerful weapon and making the story bigger, all the while keeping it “streamlined” and ultimately maintaining that much needed relevance at the personal level.

Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) sports a power pack on his chest that looks similar to the one that Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) uses.

“The technologies are definitely related,” says director Jon Favreau. “That’s part of the core theme of the film.”

The villain’s alter ego, Ivan Vanko, is a Russian who “has constructed his own version of a suit,” Favreau says. Among the creative innovations: a pair of whips, powered by the suit’s glowing chest piece, that are expected to keep Iron Man cracking.

This first image of the character shows Whiplash making an appearance at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix. Favreau as usual is tight-lipped about plot points and declines to discuss whether the big-screen Whiplash is, as in the Marvel Comics, a weapons designer who works for Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), a competitor of Tony Stark/Iron Man.

“We like to play into and against the expectations that people might have, so we mixed it up a bit,” Favreau says.

Rourke’s performances in Sin City and The Wrestler helped convince the director that the actor was the best candidate to face Downey in his sequel to last spring’s blockbuster that grossed $318.4 million.

“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.”

(Thanks Leroy!)