Four major superheroes have new movies this year. Superman gets a reboot in June's "Man of Steel," the deadly claws of "The Wolverine" spring back out in July, and Thor will swing his hammer in November's "Thor: The Dark World." But the liveliest of the current superhero franchises arrives Friday, as "Iron Man 3" hits theaters.

Paramount Pictures file

Iron Man feels like a more human, relatable superhero than most of his type.

Thanks in no small part to its star, the can't-take-your-eyes-off-him Robert Downey Jr., the "Iron Man" movie series has soared. With Downey in the suit and smart writing and directing behind the scripts, Iron Man/Tony Stark has transformed from his comic-book portrayal as Captain America's billionaire buddy to the most super of superheroes. Here's why.

He's got problems
Superman and Captain America are so goody-two-shoes you could bring them home to mother, even if she's Mother Teresa. Iron Man, like Downey himself, has a bad-boy rep. In his real identity as Tony Stark, he drank too much, he spent too much, he slept with too many women. He's a little more on the straight-and-narrow now, but he still has crippling anxiety attacks that leave him hyperventilating by the side of the road in a most un-heroic fashion. And he's not above dancing like a dork in his super-secret lab.

Disney

Don Cheadle, aka War Machine/Iron Patriot, is Tony Stark's pal. Unlike Robin, he's no fawning sidekick.

He's got the coolest friends
Col. James Rhodes, aka War Machine (Don Cheadle), is a much more entertaining sidekick than Batman's Robin. In his real life, he's a full-on military man, and in his suit, he's just about as tough as Iron Man. But he and Tony have the greatest just-bros relationship outside of Joey and Chandler. ("It's not the '80s, nobody says 'hacks' anymore," Tony chides him in the new film.) And we also love Tony's pal Happy (Jon Favreau), who's head of security for a global corporation but still has no idea how to work an iPad.

He's not ashamed of his suit
Captain America has his super-soldier serum, the Incredible Hulk his dose of gamma radiation. Iron Man is a smart and buff billionaire, but he wouldn't be a superhero without the powerful suit he himself invented. And who cares? Batman's just a regular billionaire too, with a really cool arsenal of Bat-gadgets. Tony's never hidden the fact that he needs his suit -- in fact, he almost revels in it, displaying his different outfits in his mansion and even giving them names.

Sometimes his stuff fails
Does it ever. Like a smartphone, sometimes Iron Man's suit is crying out for a charge at the most inconvenient moments. Other times, Tony tries to call the pieces of the suit to him, and gets smacked in the face for his troubles. In the third film, it even zips to his aid while he's sleeping, which really freaks out Pepper.

Disney

Gwyneth Paltrow is neither a babe nor a wimp as Pepper Potts.

His girlfriend is neither a wimp nor a babe
Whatever you think of World's Most Beautiful Woman Gwyneth Paltrow, she does a decent job as Tony's girlfriend, the goofily named Pepper Potts. She doesn't slink around in gowns cut down to there like a Bond girl, and she doesn't cower in the background and wait to get kidnapped either (although it has happened). She and Tony have an easy rapport and you do believe they care about each other. Tony's lost a lot of things through his own stupid fault, and it's clear he doesn't want Pepper to be one of them.

He's up on pop culture
Tony, and his entire film series, doesn't live in the 1940s, like Captain America, or in some grim and somber Gotham, like Batman. He's a part of our world, with all its bad TV and fast food and cheesy products. He wears a Black Sabbath shirt (in sly tribute to their "Iron Man" song).  He references Barrel of Monkeys during a mid-air rescue. In "Iron Man 3," he finds himself donning a Dora the Explorer watch, and learning that his pal Happy is addicted to "Downton Abbey." Tony lives in Malibu, not Made Up Ville.

He knows how to be rich
Tony Stark is a billionaire, and he knows how to be one. He bought himself a space-age stunner of a mansion on the cliffs of Malibu, and he drives fancy speedsters like the all-electric concept car, the Audi R8. He sweeps in to fancy dinners and balls in a tux and occasionally breaks a paparazzi's camera -- just as we like to think we would do if our bank account were a whole lot fatter.

Who's your favorite superhero? Vote in our poll, and tell us on Facebook.

AP

Robert Downey Jr. (in Iron Man suit) with Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts in "Iron Man 3."

For the past several months, trailers for this summer's most anticipated films have been hitting the web on a nearly daily basis. But the trailers aimed at getting moviegoers excited for these big-budget releases may be showing off a bit too much.

PHOTOS: "Iron Man 3" premiere: Robert Downey Jr. mingles with Marvel royalty

According to a new study, half (49 percent) of Americans feel that movie trailers these days give away too many of a movie’s best scenes, with a full 16 percent agreeing strongly.

So should the scenes from "Iron Man 3" of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) saving a group of people falling from an airplane or flying through the air with an army of other Iron Mans be saved for when audiences actually hit the theater?

The findings from the YouGov Omnibus survey taken April 26 to 28 found that the reveal of plot in a trailer deterred only about 19 percent of respondents from wanting to see the movie. In contrast, 24 percent said that it made them want to see the film more.

PHOTOS: "Iron Man 3" Tour: Robert Downey Jr. travels the world

Movie trailers remain extremely important to audiences, playing the biggest role (48 percent) in pushing people to see a movie, followed closely by personal recommendations (46 percent).

So even if a trailer shows some of the best scenes from a film, it doesn't mean people won't see it. And films like "Iron Man 3" still have a few surprises up their sleeves (see the stars talk about what makes the film so surprising here.)

Movie studios have tried a variety of techniques over the past few years when it comes to trailers. Some, such as recent release Oblivion, starring Tom Cruise, have gone out of their way to avoid showing major surprises in the plot. And Lionsgate's "Hunger Games" trailers didn't show any of the footage from the actual arena where the fighting took place.

What remains important to moviegoers when they actually sit down in the theater is that there's a good plot or storyline to the film (77 percent), followed by the cast (45 percent), the genre (22 percent), the director (20 percent) and the book or play it’s based on (15 percent).

Tell us what you think about movie trailers over on Facebook!

Once you're an adult, summer doesn't quite mean what it used to. Most of us don't get June, July and August off any more, and end up whiling away the majority of the season staring wistfully out the office window at that so-fleeting sunshine.

"Man of Steel," "The Great Gatsby," "World War Z" and "Monsters University" are among our picks for summer must-see movies.

But one of the perks of summer that Americans of all ages and job descriptions get is the summer movie season. Don't expect to see gritty, intense Oscar contenders on these long, hot days -- this is the time for pure popcorn, light and fluffy films with explosions and animation, superheroes and zombies. 

More than 60 movies will open over the course of the summer. Here are 11 you'll want to consider putting on your must-see list.

If you can only see ONE summer blockbuster, see 'Iron Man 3'
It's tough to imagine the "Iron Man" series without cocky, wisecracking Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role. Who else could make Tony Stark/Iron Man the most fascinating superhero onscreen? Stark is super, sure, but he also has battled alcoholism and anxiety attacks, and his super-flubs are as intriguing as his big battles. Downey makes you buy into it for two-plus hours in "Iron Man 3," backed by a superb supporting cast, including Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Guy Pearce and Gwyneth Paltrow. Other films have their fans (we hear you, Trekkies!), but "Iron Man 3" might be the biggest summer blockbuster in a summer filled with them. (Opens May 3.)

If you're an English major, see 'The Great Gatsby'
If we made a list of the movies least likely to benefit from 3-D, "The Great Gatsby" would top that list. Hey! Guess what? Hollywood put it in 3-D anyway! It's supposed to give a more immersive experience, but really, can't F. Scott Fitzgerald's legendary characters and story do that on their own? But this latest rendition of "Gatsby" is going all out, with Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as Nick and Carey Mulligan as Daisy. Aussie director Baz Luhrmann made "Moulin Rouge!" and "Romeo + Juliet," and both those films made waves for their style and panache. Traditionalists who want to see a straightforward march straight to the green light at the end of Daisy's dock may be clutching their knotted pearls when they see this one. (Opens May 10.)

If you're missing your friends from Starfleet Academy, see 'Star Trek Into Darkness'
Give the folks behind "Star Trek: Into Darkness" (and its 2009 predecessor, "Star Trek") huge props. Rebooting a series that was so beloved for so long without alienating devoted fans has to rank right up there with solving the Kobayashi Maru training exercise. And like a young James T. Kirk back in his school days, they somehow pulled it off. The rebooted movie series is a solid new take on Kirk, Spock, Bones and the rest -- we especially love Simon "Shaun of the Dead" Pegg as Scotty. And as much as Trekkies love to dig for info, this film has managed to maintain a certain secrecy about the villain, played by Benedict Cumberbatch and named John Harrison. Is Harrison a version of the legendary baddie Khan? Or Gary Mitchell from the original series? Does it matter? We'll be there faster than a red-shirted ensign can say, "Look out, Capt--" (Opens May 17.)

If you like quirky growing-up tales, see 'The Kings of Summer'
It looks a little like "Stand By Me" with a more modern, sarcastic sensibility. "The Kings of Summer" was a Sundance hit. Three boys whose parents are driving them crazy build a house in the woods -- and a pretty decent one, too -- and leave civilzation behind. Or kind of. They may make occasional forays to a nearby Boston Market. In previews, the boys are charming and likable, and the parents include the fabulous Nick Offerman who reportedly all but steals the movie. We're guessing this will become a cult fave a la "Donnie Darko." (Opens May 31.) 

If you want to see Hollywood stars die horribly yet humorously, see 'This Is the End'
It's maybe the weirdest concept film of the summer. Hollywood stars play themselves having a big party at James Franco's house jut as the apocalypse -- complete with hellfire, crumbling earth, monsters and Rapture-style abductions -- comes to Los Angeles. Stars like Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Craig Robinson react pretty much as any character they've ever played would react -- by running around like loons, fighting over the lone remaining Milky Way candy bar and getting robbed by Emma Watson. "Hermione stole all our (expletive)," announces Danny McBride. It could be awful, but based on the rapport of the leads, we're declaring it so silly it's might just be great. (Opens June 12.)

If you like your superheroes polite and clean-cut, see 'Man of Steel'
Iron Man's charming, but his personal problems could fill a therapist's file cabinet. Not so Superman. Sure, he and Lois Lane have issues, but Clark Kent/Superman is still the superhero you could safely bring home to Mom. That can mean he's ... kinda boring, and the trailers don't do much to dispel that, showing a young Clark saving a busload of schoolkids and angstily fretting about his place in the world.  One early review of the new "Man of Steel," however, claims that the trailer misrepresents things and Supes really kicks some butt in the movie. Some fans will always mourn Christopher Reeve, but new star Henry Cavil sure has the look down. We'll soon see if he can leap tall buildings in a single bound. (Opens June 14)

If you can't get enough zombies, see 'World War Z'
"The Walking Dead" is on break, but zombies will be chewing brains all over the big screen in "World War Z." Here's our concern: The film's based on Max Brooks' excellent book, which is told by a UN employee who traveled the world interviewing people of all nationalities about how the zombie uprising affected them. (If you know Studs Terkel's "The Good War," it's that but with the undead.) But the movie's trailer takes Brooks' title and turns it into a we've-seen-this-before action flick as Brad Pitt works to save his children and wife from the zombies. Yes, you can't judge a film by a 2-minute preview, but between the excellence we've become accustomed to on "Walking Dead" and Brooks' fine book, we have high expectations. Someone on this set better have kept their braaaaaaaaaains. (Opens June 21)

If you have a kid, or are a kid at heart, see 'Monsters University'
Not every sequel works, but "Monsters University," Pixar's prequel to its 2001 delight "Monsters Inc.," is positively inspired. Monsters Mike (voice of Billy Crystal) and Sulley (voice of John Goodman) were pals as co-workers in the original film, but when they met back in monster college, that wasn't the case. Bad for them, good for us, as we watch the dormmates fight it out (turns out Sulley sheds in his sleep) amid all the craziness of majoring in scaring. If this one doesn't entertain you, reassess your entertainment genes. (Opens June 21)

If you loved 'Bridesmaids,' see 'The Heat'
"The Heat" is a buddy-cop comedy with a twist -- the cops are women. And not just any women, but Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. Director Paul Feig not only directed "Bridesmaids," he created the legendary "Freaks and Geeks," which always makes our list of "shows that should never have been canceled." Bullock's best when she's funny (sorry, "Blind Side" fans) and McCarthy is on a roll, so this should be fun.  (June 28)

If you loved the Minions, see 'Despicable Me 2"
It's a great summer for kid movies.  In 2010's "Despicable Me," Steve Carell introduced us to Gru, a supervillain with a passel of little yellow pill-shaped Minions who gabble to each other in gibberish and engage in Three Stooges-style slapstick that's somehow cuter than normal coming from them. Gru seemed tough at first, but his heart quickly melted when he took in three orphan girls. He's back in the sequel, and the Anti-Villain League (with an agent voiced by Kristen Wiig) needs his help to take down another baddie. Thankfully, the Minions and the girls are along for the ride. If you can't get enough of the little yellow guys, another spinoff film, "Minions," is coming in 2014. (Opens July 3.)

If you loved 'Cars,' see 'Planes'
Get ready for "Planes" bedsheets, stuffed toys, video games, phone apps and lunchboxes, because if you thought "Cars" saturated the world of kids, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Disney's "Planes" takes the action to the air with comic Dane Cook voicing Dusty Crophopper, the little cropduster with big dreams. He's no Lightning McQueen, but with a little help from his friends -- and a few zillion kid viewers -- he might just soar high. (Opens Aug. 9.)

What movie are you most excited about? Tell us on Facebook.

Who knew Iron Man was the lost Von Trapp child? Robert Downey Jr., who plays Tony Stark/Iron Man in the superhero movie series, donned the traditional German short pants known as lederhosen for a photo opportunity in Munich.

Disney

Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. promote "Iron Man 3" in Munich.

Downey posed with co-star Gwyneth Paltrow, who stuck to a more modern look, donning a white KaufmanFranco dress. Still, she showed off a little more leg than Downey, whose lederhosen covered his knees.

Downey completed the Alpine look with green socks and a green neck scarf.

"Iron Man 3" opens May 3 in the U.S.

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In the first full-length trailer for “Iron Man 3,” the metal-suited hero faces two choices: “An empty life or a meaningful death?”

The question, asked by Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley’s terrorist villain The Mandarin, sets the tone for the gloomy, action-packed third film in the super successful Marvel franchise. Robert Downey Jr.’s charming billionaire investor Tony Stark is in for a seriously tough time, as we see his beautiful cliffside home destroyed and dozens of civilians falling helplessly from a blown-up airplane that appears to be Air Force One.

Thankfully, Stark has back-up and not just in the form of a killer cast rounded out by Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall and Guy Pearce. In a lab, armies of Iron Man suits are being fitted on new heroes. At the end of the trailer, the army of Iron Men flies in to the rescue, a superhero face-off seemingly imminent. Bruised and beaten, Stark looks up with a grin. “There’s my boys.”

Even with his new crew, it won’t be smooth sailing for Stark. The Mandarin may be his toughest foe yet. In the comic books, the villain used magical rings that he found inside an alien spaceship to try to rule the world. While we see his rings in the trailer, Marvel President Kevin Feige told IGN that The Mandarin will instead combat Iron Man and his gang with seriously powerful technology, not magic. And, come to think of it, between the dark orphan backstory and mind-blowing airplane destruction, The Mandarin has a lot in common with Batman’s most recent enemy, Bane.

While “Iron Man 3” seems to ratchet up the intensity and darkness, Downey Jr.’s clever bon mots still bring a lightness and sense of adventure to an otherwise serious flick. “No politics here,” Stark tells a reporter. “Just good ol’ fashioned revenge.”

"Iron Man 3" opens May 3. Will you see it? Tell us on Facebook.

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The Super Bowl ads weren't just selling physical products, some of them were hyping big movies coming to theaters near you later in the year. Sadly, most of the ads were just teases -- tantalizing the audience with little snippets, some of which had already been seen in previously released teasers. ("World War Z," we're looking at you.)

"The Lone Ranger" ad was one of those that actually revealed never-before-seen footage, focusing on the repartee between the Ranger (Armie Hammer) and sidekick Tonto (Johnny Depp). Not everyone is sold on this film, however. Wrote Moviefone.com, "Eh. How long can we watch Johnny Depp act weird in makeup?"

The ad for "Iron Man 3" showed the superhero saving people who'd been flung out of Air Force One after it's attacked in middair, but then urged viewers to surf to the movie's Facebook page for an extended peek. Star Robert Downey Jr. begins the extended preview by stalking into the camera's eye, striking a number of poses and dramatically whipping off his sunglasses, then admitting, "That might have been more extensive than extended." 

Just two hours after it was posted, the extended trailer had been shared more than 30,000 times on Facebook.

"Oz the Great and Powerful" offers James Franco as the famed man behind the curtain, showing how he arrives in Oz long before Dorothy and her little dog Toto make the twister-led journey there. "The Land You Know -- The Story You Don't," promises the colorful preview, which includes the creepy Wicked Witch, Franco floating in an enormous bubble like one of those State Fair attractions, and some truly nightmare-inducing flying monkeys.

The "Star Trek Into Darkness" trailer features a creepy voiceover from Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the film's villain, and shows a combination of seen-before and new footage, including a shot of the beloved Enterprise in tatters. "Shall we begin?" Cumberbatch menacingly asks at the end. Yes, please!

The "Fast and Furious" franchise is up to its sixth film now, and if you like the speed and the crash-bang-smash-em-up action of the series, you'll find nothing to dissaude you in the latest installment. Vin Diesel, The Rock, women in bikinis and short skirts, it's the "Citizen Kane" of guy movies.

The "World War Z" trailer, like earlier previews of this Brad Pitt film, was remarkably light on the undead. As The Huffington Post cracked, the film "shows off the zombie apocalypse ("We've lost the East Coast") without actually showing off the zombie apocalypse." In a really odd glimpse, soldiers are seen marching out of a city carrying a framed copy of the U.S. Constitution. We the zombies, in order to form a more perfect brain-eating union...

Movie fans will have to wait a little while, though, to get beyond the trailers. "Oz the Great and Powerful" is the first of the advertised films to open, with a March 8 scheduled release. "Star Trek Into Darkness" opens May 17, "Fast and Furious 6" opens May 24, "World War Z" opens June 21, "The Lone Ranger" opens July 3, 

Which Super Bowl movie ad was your favorite? Vote in our poll, and tell us what you think on Facebook.

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Think you opened all your holiday cards this year? Here's another -- from Iron Man, or at least the superhero Avenger's real identity, billionaire Tony Stark.

@Iron_Man / Twitter

The card, showing Stark (Robert Downey Jr., in the role he was born to play) standing out in a snowy field, possibly about to catch snowflakes on his tongue, was tweeted out the day after Christmas from the official account set up for Stark.

Movie blog Cinema Blend points out that "Iron Man 3" writer/director Shane Black seems to love Christmas themes. Four of his screenplays, including "Lethal Weapon," were set during that holiday season, and "Iron Man 3" footage shown at Comic Con shows Stark enjoying Run DMC's 1987 single "Christmas in Hollis."

Stark isn't wearing his armor in the snowy shot because, according to the trailer, it's become non-functional.

"Iron Man 3" opens May 3, and features Stark battling well-known comic-book villain The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). Gwyneth Paltrow returns as love interest Pepper Potts and Don Cheadle is back as Stark's best friend Col. James Rhodes, aka War Machine.

Will you see "Iron Man 3"? Tell us on Facebook.

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Walt Disney Pictures

The new "Iron Man 3" poster.

You've heard the casting reports, glimpsed some plot spoilers, winced at on-set mishaps and seen the concept art. Now, feast your eyes on the trailer to "Iron Man 3," Robert Downey Jr.'s highly anticipated threequel to the smash superhero franchise.

And boy, does he have his work cut out for him this time, as he squares off against super-terrorist Mandarin, played with menacing aplomb by Ben Kinglsey.

Ready for some ass-kickin'? Right this way, please.

Here's everything you need to know about 'Iron Man 3'

Prepare to speak Mandarin: Kingsley makes his grand appearance as the super-villain while sporting some pretty nifty threads, to boot! (We're digging that cowl -- matches the scowl.) "Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher," he snarls in a voice-over. "Lesson No. 1: heroes -- there is no such thing." He certainly makes good on that promise by promptly blowing up Tony Stark's sleek cliff-side pad.

Iron Man threesome! Ladylove Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) certainly gets cozy in bed with Tony. But wait -- what's going on here?! And who's the other dude in the Iron Man suit? Pepper herself looks equally shocked upon seeing their strange bedfellow as she's violently rustled out of her slumber by a very unwelcome guest as Tony lies next to her.

Get a load of 'Iron Man 3's' teaser art: Is Tony Stark now a mutant?!

The doc is in: Welcome to your first look at Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian, a renowned geneticist who, according to comic-book lore, invents a powerful serum that grants superhuman abilities to its subjects. Killian's presence in the movie has reinforced fanboys' theories that the film's plot would indeed be based on the comic book's famous Extremis storyline, and--judging from this nanosecond glimpse of Pearce -- we'd say the actor certainly delivers some steely-cool villainy.

Don Cheadle returns as War Machine: Tony's fellow armored ally is back. Good thing, because Iron's Man's gonna need it: When Mandarin unleashes his assault on Tony's pad, we see a bevy of Iron Man suits go kablooey as everything erupts into a spectacular explosion of metal. Cue the operatic music!

'Iron Man 3' gets another baddie -- who is he?

A changed (Iron) Man: Tony seems to have undergone a transformation, and it's more than just an upgrade to his suit. "Nothing's been the same since New York," he says, alluding to last summer's The Avengers. "You experience things, and then they're over." Indeed, at one point Tony command parts of his armor to magically fly across the room and snap onto his hand. All these whopping changes -- and mayhem! -- leave our our cocky billionaire hero humbled, as we seen him desperately dragging his Iron Man suit in the snow at the end of the trailer. Is he headed for a superhero freeze-out? Find out when the movie hits theaters on May 3, 2013.

Check out other movies hitting theaters soon

Matt Sayles / AP file

Robert Downey Jr. attends the press line for "Iron Man 3" during Comic-Con, Saturday, July 14, 2012, in San Diego.

Many people forget that the usually spry Robert Downey Jr. is actually 47-years-old.  And no matter how physically fit you are, getting through stunt scenes in an action movie doesn't get easier with old age. So, it was only a matter of time, perhaps, before Downey Jr. succumbed to laws of man and injured himself while playing Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.

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Downey Jr. injured his ankle Wednesday on the set of "Iron Man 3," causing the production to halt shooting until he's healthy enough to don Iron Man's gold and crimson armor again. 

In a statement, Marvel Studios said, "Robert Downey Jr. sustained an ankle injury on the set of 'Iron Man 3' in Wilmington, N.C., while performing a stunt. There will be a short delay in the production schedule while he recuperates."

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Neither the studio nor Disney revealed when they expect the film to be back up and running, but the picture's May 3, 2013, release isn't expected to be affected at this time.

"Iron Man 3" has been shooting in North Carolina since June. The third installment in the "Iron Man" franchise is under the direction of Shane Black based on a screenplay by Black and Drew Pearce.

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Warning: Spoilers for "Iron Man 3" follow. Here's a big shocker: The footage of "Iron Man 3" shown at Comic-Con today was high-flyin' and hilarious. We knew it would be, even with the trilogy now in the hands of Shane Black instead of Jon Favreau (who's in the film and gamely appeared at the panel today!) and visions of "The Avengers" still dancing in our heads.

In addition to proving that Robert Downey Jr. hasn't lost a step--in fact, he's gained a few, as evidenced by the cocky dance sequence in which Tony Stark tries out some new armor -- the footage also answered a few questions.

MORE: 'Man of Steel' done shooting -- is 'Justice League' next?

First off, Ben Kingsley is indeed playing the supervillainous, robe-rocking Mandarin and Stephanie Szostak (Paul Rudd's girlfriend in Dinner for Schmucks) has joined the cast as a character TBA.

Slideshow: Comic-Con 2012

David Muang / EPA

Launch slideshow

Also in the footage, Stark's seaside mansion is thoroughly demolished by an airborne firing squad and every bit of armor in his workroom is blown to bits. Meaning, our hero must start from scratch (though billionaire superhero's scratch is different from regular people's scratch), somewhat reminding us of the predicament a forlorn Bruce Wayne is facing at the beginning of "The Dark Knight Rises."

We have a feeling that Iron Man -- with a little help from his friends--will rise again, too. (Whether or not the same guy is wearing the suit is up to Downey, who said he's come to the end of his contract, which attached him to the two Iron Man sequels and The Avengers. Think he'll want a raise?)

Black told us that the film was about half shot and, if they "don't f--k  up the rest, it's going to be great."

"Iron Man 3" hits theaters March 3, 2013.

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Fans of "Iron Man 3" don't get to see Robert Downey Jr./Tony Stark's face in this newly released image from the film, but they do get a good shot of his many "Iron Man" suits.

Disney

Robert Downey Jr. in a newly released photo from "Iron Man 3."

The movie, which opens May 3, 2013, just started filming in North Carolina, with future shoots reportedly planned in China and Miami.

Fans of the film and comic-book series are scrambling for leaked tidbits, and last week a source told ComicBook.com that one of the villains facing Iron Man in the new film is the character's comic-book archenemy, The Mandarin -- rumored to be played by Ben Kingsley.

Spinoff Online reports that the Mandarin will be a secondary villain and that Guy Pearce will play the movie's main bad guy, geneticist Aldrich Killian. The film appears to draw plot inspiration from a popular six-issue "Iron Man" comic series, "Extremis," in which Killiam creates a super-soldier solution not unlike that used to bulk up Captain America -- only this one makes bad guys.

Fans have just 11 months to wait until all is revealed.

Will you see "Iron Man 3" next year? Tell us on Facebook.

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