Marvel Studios has released four still images from Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 and it certainly appears from one close-up of the Iron Man faceplate that Tony Stark is in for a rough ride in the stand-alone Iron Man adventure film which is slated to debut on April 26th, 2013.  The new Iron Man movie, which is based on part on Warren Ellis’ "Extremis" storyline, has been described by Black as more of a "Tom Clancy thriller" with Iron Man taking on real world villains, than the traditional sort of Iron Man movie with "two men in iron suits fighting each other."  But this shot of the battle-damaged Iron Man headgear indicates that the film’s "real world villains" have enough firepower to put Tony Stark at risk.

 

Also released today was a shot of Rebecca Hall as Dr. Maya Hansen, one of the creators of the Extremis virus (along with Guy Pearce’s Aldrich Killian).  This still certainly indicates that she does not escape the proceedings entirely unharmed.

 

While he won’t be receiving any aid from the other Avengers in dealing with the very personal attack on his empire that precipitates the action in Iron Man 3, Tony Stark is not without his friends and allies including a Chinese scientist, who was originally supposed to be played by Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs), and Don Cheadle as Rhodey Rhodes/War Machine, who dons the red, white, and blue themed Iron Patriot Suit.

 

The other still released today features Robert Downey, Jr. looking very serious as Tony Stark, who finds his entire empire in jeopardy due to the events that occur in Iron Man 3.