LOS ANGELES - Robert Downey Jr is to star as cult superhero "Iron Man" in the latest screen adaptation of a Marvel Comics character, it was reported Friday.
Downey will play Tony Stark, a business tycoon and inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a doomsday weapon. Instead Stark uses his creative genius to construct and iron suit and escape his captors.
The film is based on the comic series created by Marvel in the 1960s, in which Stark's kidnappers were Viet Cong guerrillas.
Reports in the The Hollywood Reporter and Variety said the plot would be updated to the modern day and would reflect the current geopolitical climate.
Filming for the 100-million-dollar movie is due to get under way in Los Angeles and the film is slated for release in 2008.
The film is the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment. Previously, Marvel had granted outside studios the right to make films based on its other characters including "Spider-Man" and "X-Men".
09/29/2006 17:04 GMT