It’s a great week for entertainment news so far, including today’s catch which happens to be the first official photo from the set of Iron Man 2! Director Jon Favreau made the announcement just yesterday on Twitter that he had approved the photo for release by USA Today, and today the photo made its debut. It depicts Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark with four different models of the Iron Man armor in the background: the Mark I, II, and III from the original film, and a fourth (Mark IV?), most likely an updated version of the armor that the character has since upgraded to.

Iron Man was one of last summer’s blockbusters, as well as one of two films, along with The Incredible Hulk, that marked the debut of Marvel Studios as an independent film studio. The company had previously worked with other film studios on Marvel Comics film adaptations, including 20th Century Fox, Columbia, and Lionsgate, but as of 2008 the entity established a name for itself and funded its own properties, a move that allowed them to retain full creative control and not have to submit to the changes and demands of outside producers. That’s not to say that the studio didn’t suffer any economic side effects, as documented by the nigh loss of big name actors Sam Jackson and Mickey Rourke for Iron Man 2 due to insufficient offers of compensation.

The upcoming film that I am most looking forward to for 2009 is by far the graphic novel adapted ‘Watchmen.’ The original graphic novel was included on the list of the top 100 novels of all time, and justly so as it was a deeply moving and compelling storyline. Early screenings of the film have shown the movie to be just as compelling as the source material, which makes me super excited. I loved 300 so I knew that director Zack Snyder would do a good job.

Above is the ‘final’ poster for Watchmen, which hits theaters next month. I can’t wait.

Recent reports have confirmed that the latest actors to sign on for Iron Man 2 are Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell (speculated to be portraying the Crimson Dynamo and Justin Hammer respectively) as well as Emily Blunt as the Russian spy Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a., The Black Widow. Rourke is hot off his heels from picking up a Golden Globe for his performance in The Wrestler, so he’s a hot potato right now. If he brings the same kind of performance to Iron Man, he may follow in Heath Ledger’s wake by continuing to bring the heavy hitting acting chops to the action/adventure genre.

Story details for the sequel are scarce, but the inclusion of Black Widow would further develop the Avenger Initiative storyline that was established in Sam Jackson’s cameo at the end of the Iron Man credits (as well as Robert Downey Jr.’s cameo at the end of the Incredible Hulk), as Black Widow is a member of the team in the comics. This is bittersweet though, as Jackson has indicated that he may not be returning to the role of Nick Fury in light of financial difficulties at Marvel. However, if they can afford to bring in current hot shot Mickey Rourke, as well as A-lister Don Cheadle, AND Gwyneth Paltrow, why not Jackson as well? Here’s hoping this ‘financial crisis’ at Marvel talk is all BS.