io9: storyboards

Iron Man Rolls With The Punches In Red-Hot New Storyboards And Set Video!

Charlie Jane Anders — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:20:00 PDT

Did our early glimpses of bondage-harnessed Whiplash dampen your enthusiasm for Iron Man 2? Let some new storyboard art, which shows Iron Man going full-on ninja, recharge your chest battery of hope. Plus a new set video shows crazy stunts.

These storyboard images come from artist John Mann, who's worked on movies like Mars Attacks and Star Trek: First Contact in the past. Writes Mann:

I am contractually obligated to not show any image here that might compromise the story or designs of iron man 2 until the film is released. therefore what you will see here are obvious little snippets that aren't tied to any concepts or designs...enjoy!

Still, the storyboards give a tantalizing glimpse of some things, including sight's locked on someone, Tony's eyes panicking inside the Iron Man shell, Mickey Rourke going bonkers, the movie's women having a confrontation, and some kind of crazy crowd scene. Oh, and a hot rod, probably from the racetrack sequence. Most of all, Iron Man looks pretty damn limber in some of these images.

And here's a lengthy video showcasing a visit to the movie's set by France's Canal Plus, including some glimpses of how Tony's workshop has changed, and your first look at Tony's newest invention, a basement particle accelerator that goes up the driveway. (Don't worry, it's only in French for the first minute or so.) Robert Downey Jr. talks about the pressure of creating a worthy sequel, and his efforts to get more martial-arts action in the second film. And there are some new glimpses of wild stunts, and race-car action. And is Black Widow wearing Iron Man's repulsor glove in one shot? Jon Favreau makes for a hilarious tour guide to the new world of Tony Stark:

More images at the first link. [John Mann via ComicBookMovie, Video via AceShowbiz]

What Star Wars Could've Looked Like, A Long Time Ago

Graeme McMillan — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:34:11 PST

Ever wondered what Star Wars was originally going to look like, back when Luke Skywalker still called himself Starkiller? These images from early storyboards for the 1977 movie let us glimpse a time when the Millennium Falcon was half the ship that we've come to know and love, Darth Vader wore mittens, and Star Wars still had a definitive article in its title. Click through to see the world we didn't grow up on.

More images can be found on Michael Heilemann's Flickr set.

Forgotten Designs Show Potential Of Coneheads

Graeme McMillan — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:00:19 PST

1993 movie Coneheads was many things: unfortunate Dan Ackroyd vehicle, decade-too-late spin-off from Saturday Night Live, critically-derided box office failure. But now you can add "missed opportunity" to the list. For those who thought that there was never that much potential in the movie in the first place, all you have to do is look at Brendan McCarthy's designs for the movie to learn the error of your ways. See what you missed at the multiplex after the jump.

McCarthy, a former comic artist who's been providing storyboards and concept designs for movies like Highlander, Lost in Space and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since the late '80s, has started posting some of his work on his new website, The Strangeness of Brendan McCarthy, including a glimpse at what might have been if Dan Ackroyd's inherent crapness hadn't ruined things.
Design">The Strangeness of Brendan McCarthy