Movie public awaits ‘Iron Man 2’

Movie: "Iron Man 2"

When: Opening midnight today at local theaters

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Jon Favreau

The story: Now that billionaire Tony Stark has revealed his Iron Man alter ego to the world, conflicts involving the government, new enemies -- and even his own friends -- complicate his dual existence.

The buzz: Leading off the summer movie season, this sequel to the 2008 hit is poised to become an even bigger hit in 2010. In a pre-summer audience survey conducted by the online ticketing service Fandango, "Iron Man" was the top attraction, earning a "Must Go" rating, while Tony Stark emerged as summer's most anticipated action hero. And Fandango rival MovieTickets.com reports that "Iron Man 2" has sold more than five times as many tickets as the original did at the same point. On the casting front, Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Stark's sidekick, Lt. Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes; Scarlett Johansson, meanwhile, took over as Natalie Rushman (alias Black Widow) when scheduling conflicts with the upcoming "Gulliver's Travels" prompted Emily Blunt to withdraw.