Jon Favreau Departs "Iron Man" Franchise

Jon Favreau Departs "Iron Man" Franchise

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Matt Jussim

When Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. teamed up for "Iron Man" in 2008, I don't think anyone realized quite how successful the film would become. It grossed more than $500 million worldwide, was critically praised, and brought on some huge anticipation for "Iron Man 2." While that one wasn't quite as critically acclaimed as the first, it made even more money, and had everyone wondering what the duo would bring on for a third film.

Although a third film is set for the series, one thing that will change is the director. After a bit of speculation, Vulture and Faverau himself confirmed this past week that the director will not return for the third installment.

When the news broke, the Internet started buzzing about the reasons for the split. Some claimed that Favreau's price tag was getting too high, while some others speculated that the studio forced him off the project. Thankfully, the director himself put an end to that chatter, giving some clarity on the situation through his Twitter account and in an interview with The Los Angeles Times.

Through his Twitter account, Faverau said: "It's true, I'm directing Magic Kingdom, not Iron Man 3. I've had a great run with Marvel and wish them the best."

After that, Favreau gave an interview to The Los Angeles Times, saying his departure from the film was "no snap decision or the result of fractured relations."  He also stated that he Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and him remain friends, and that Favreau will stay on as a producer on ”The Avengers.”

Although this may seem like a negative move for the "Iron Man" franchise, I think it's great because it always helps to inject some new life to a fracnshise, even one that's been as successful as this. Faverau wants to work on other projects, and with "The Avengers" still on the horizon, the third film probably wouldn't be released until 2013 anyway.

I honestly am excited to see what Favreau does with "Magic Kingdom," which is about a family that gets trapped in Disneyland after hours and soon discovers that the theme park's rides and characters come to life. I think the film idea has a lot of potential, primarily because of what Faverau brings to the table.

Shooting on "Magic Kingdom" should start filming next year.