First Look: Iron Man 2

Well, the 2009 summer movie season kicks off today, and what better way to celeberate it than with a look at one of the most anticipated films of the 2010 blockbuster season?

USAToday has the first official photo (left, click to enlarge) off of the set of Iron Man 2, the follow up to last summer’s superhero hit which helped to revitalize star Robert Downey Jr.’s career. Understandably, we’d love to see some reveal of some of the actors new to the frnachise this time around- Mickey Rourke as the villain Whiplash, Scarlett Johansson as the leather-clad, Russian spy Black Widow and Sam Rockwell as industrialist Justin Hammer.(Or what the next little bit that will tie these films into the upcoming Avengers team-up film in 2012.)

But director Jon Favreau is keeping them, and most other things about the film, under wraps for now. “It’s never easy with summer movies, but we’re trying to keep as much a surprise as possible,” he is quoted as saying in the USA Today piece. (Though that hasn’t stopped him from the occassional Twitter post from the set…)

What we do know is that the sequel picks up from where the first film leaves off, with business magnate Tony Stark admitting to the world that he is the armor-clad hero Iron Man. As Favreau explains-

How many superheroes are open about their true identities? We wanted to play with that idea. But it obviously has consequences — in his relationships, on the team. There are a lot of areas we can explore.

Iron Man 2 hits theaters in 53 weeks.