Shane Black Hints At IRON MAN 3 Love Rectangle?
Sir Ben Kingsley’s portrayal of The Mandarin has been lauded and evinced as the main antagonist of Iron Man 3, but Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark will also deal with Aldrich Killian, played by English-Australian actor Guy Pearce. Beyond the character’s role in the Extremis storyline, which Iron Man 3 is “loosely” based upon, not much is known about Killian’s interpretation in the film. Speaking with French magazine Première, Director Shane Black revealed, “We approached [Pearce] to play one of our villains, and he’s incredibly menacing as this guy who is insanely jealous of Tony Stark. He wants to possess everything Tony has, including his girl…”
Aldrich Killian may not be the only one badgering Tony and Pepper’s relationship. Played by Rebecca Hall, Maya Hansen was associated with Killian in the Extremis arc. “Rebecca is a talented, funny and beautiful actress,” says Black. “We needed someone who could be believable in the role of a scientist, who’s a little in spite of herself, and has a lot of charm. She was perfect. Maya Hansen is an old friend of Tony Stark from the past that resurfaces. This is not strictly a rival for Pepper Potts, but she has a real bond with Tony that goes way back.”