I find it slightly amusing that whoever is photoshopping these up obviously has a selection of various icon poses and gazing-into-the-distance shots for the three male leads and just a single sexy pose shot for Gwyneth Paltrow.

And by amusing, I mean kind of sad.

Doesn't this actually look like a recent issue of Iron Man?

What? A movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow?

I'm there!

I actually prefer something like this with a bit of a throwback to older movie posters (and yes, Star Wars posters) than just the Iron Man head. These types of posters are fun because they tell a story in that small space.

@Ryan H: I think the Howard pose is the same as well, just liberal shading or lightening on the lower left cheek. [read: so THAT'S what baby wipes are for]

Also, Paltrow as a redhead. So you mean she might be likable?

Is there an explosion in Gwyneth Paltrow's dress or is she just happy to see me...

Oh it an explosion.

Oh wait the alternative would be far more disturbing...

Dear io9:

Blogging does not mean ripping everything you come across (well, maybe it does if you're a Gawker site).

To have an Iron Man movie realized with such a fantastic cast and crew is what geek dreams are made of, and the poster reflects that.

Are you such novices that you don't know that final movie posters (especially for summer blockbusters) always have the profiles of the actors involved to help sell it? I'd be willing to bet the studios are contractually obligated to put the actors' mugs on it.

It's hard enough to ask an actor to wear a mask for entire stretches of these superhero movies; at least let him have a little face time on the friggin' posters, you misanthropes.

Isn't there was always an explosion in Gwyneth Paltrow's dress...
Or is that just me? ;)

@aspiringexpatriate:
I thought so too for a moment. The way the angle of the head relates to the collar and shoulders is wrong and I don't think the set of the lips/eyes match.

Tony Stark vs. The Bald Lebowski!!!

I'm way too fanboy over this...

@GORF:
I agree.
Except when said posters look AS AWFUL AS THESE DO.

@Plague:
If there's a way to put a whole bunch of profiles
together on one poster without it looking Picasso-esque,
you let me know.

@GORF: I'll take your side on the tendancy to crap on everything that comes in your path on the internet. Something that io9 has become increasingly Gawkerish with in recent days (perhaps a corportate memo came down that they were having too much fun and enjoying too many things). But this poster, while probably filling contractual agreements, looks a bit like it should be the cover to the children's book adaptation of Iron Man. Is it enough to ruin my desire to see this movie? Not even close, but I can see where people would be critical.

these look like drew struzen posters...but without the drew struzen.

@GORF: Ok
How about

@DocGratis:
OMG that suXXorz why is it so washed out and Legolas and the Hobbits are too small and where's Gimli and omg teh world is ending thank you Petr Jacksun for rapin my childhood!!!11!

And theres's this: [www.comics.org] and this: [www.comics.org]

No matter what the term "original" does not come to mind. This is as generic as it gets.

@GORF:

Problem solved.

You're right in saying all they'd need is the Iron Man mask and people would be buying them up like crazy.

The best poster ever? Spider-Man 3. As disappointing as the movie was, that lenticular image of the Spidey Suit changing from Red to Black caught my eye everytime I saw it. I wanted to own it. If there were a lenticular poster of Tony Stark going through the various versions of his suit, I'd buy it in a second.

@Bluecell:
Spider-Man is a property with a big enough "Q Score" that it doesn't have to play by the same rules to promote itself - not to mention that none of the actors in any of the three movies were exactly on the A-list.

Iron Man isn't the household name that Spidey is, and therefore needs as many familiar faces on the poster as possible.

@Twilightred: yes, i agree. it has a sort of epic feel to it.

I design at the company that made the first poster, and I will have to say after looking through the other 400 comps that came before this final version this is by far the worst one...the studio is to blame.

@GORF: Awesome I so realized nothing you have to say is worth while. Thanks. I can now totally ignore you.

Where did this open letter to the editor style of commenting come from? And when did it explode? And what are the odds it would be called out on Gawker on the exact same day that I asked myself the above questions?

I dunno, but I just love it!

*puts it on his PSP

empire strikes back... that's a fing movie poster. matrix revolution... those were fing movie posters... especially the one with carrie-ann moss' leather clad ass prominent... compelling....

@GORF

...but for now,
You have been promoted to Space General

I would slightly disagree with most others posts here, in that I think that this will likely make more people see the movie. Why? Because superhero movies in the past have been so crappy, that I would guess that they want people outside of comic fandom to see it by showing that there are actually some big names associated with it, and that, maybe they didn't just show up for the paycheck, and actually will take pride in what they produced.