Microsoft Gives Vista Backdoor Keys To The Police

It's long been assumed that Microsoft has built in various "backdoors" for law enforcement to get around its own security, but now reader Kevin Stapp writes in to let us know that the company has also been literally handing out the keys to law enforcement. Apparently, they're giving out special USB keys that simply get around Microsoft's security, allowing the holder of the key to very quickly get forensic information (including internet surfing history), passwords and supposedly encrypted data off of a laptop. While you can understand why police like this, the very fact that the backdoor is there and that a bunch of these USB keys are out there pretty much guarantees that those with nefarious intent also have such keys. The second you build in such backdoors, no matter how noble the reason, you can rest assured that they will be used by criminals as well. No matter what, for those of you who didn't already know it, now you have more evidence as to why trusting Microsoft's "security" isn't such a good idea.

FOX Greenlights "Virtuality"

According to various sources, FOX has greenlit a two-hour back-door Sci-Fi pilot entitled "Virtuality".

Ronald D. Moore (better known for his work on "Battlestar Galactica") wrote the "Virtuality" pilot with another BSG alum, Michael Taylor. They will also act as producers (not a bad gig, eh?).

"Virtuality" will center on the crew of the starship Phaeton, which is on a 10-year exploratory mission. The hook of the series is that the ship has "state-of-the-art virtual reality modules that let the crew escape their constrained surroundings". The series will revolve around the consequences of a bug in the virtual reality system.

To me, this sounds fairly interesting! With Moore at the help, I would expect great things. The virtual reality concept should allow the writers to explore a ton of cool concepts without bogging down in the typical starship plots - i.e. moving the ship from planet to planet to find new environments. Kudos to FOX for granting this concept a chance!

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (aka "ST3") is an upcoming science fiction film written and directed by Edward Neumeier. The film is a sequel to Starship Troopers and Starship Troopers 2. Starship Troopers: Marauder will star Casper Van Dien (Johnny Rico) and Jolene Blalock (T'Pol from Star Trek: Enterprise) who plays Captain Lola Beck. Released directly to DVD. The film is currently stated for a release date of July 15, 2008.
Here is the movie trailer:

'OpenMac' Promises $399 Headless Mac... But Not From Apple

A company called Psystar has started advertising a $399 computer called "OpenMac" which claims to be a Leopard compatible Mac built from standard PC-parts. For $399, you get a tower computer with the following specs:
- 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 2GB of DDR2 667 memory
- Integrated Intel GMA 950 Graphics
- 20x DVD+/-R Drive
- 4 USB Ports
- 250GB 7200RPM Drive
Many of the components can be upgraded, however. For example, the graphics card can be updated to a GeForce 8600GT 512MB for $155 more.
Psystar is marketing this as a cheaper and more expandable alternative to a true Apple Mac.

When comparing base configurations, the Mac Mini costs 150% of the price of the OpenMac while offering poorer performance, smaller storage space, and RAM. Not only that but the Mac Mini doesn't have the option for an nVidia GeForce 8600 video card like the OpenMac does so playing games on it is a lost cause.

The company claims that the machine is Leopard compatible with some "minimal patching" but does offer Leopard pre-installed. This is reportedly accomplished by using parts that are known to be compatible with Mac OS X Leopard, as well as the use of an EFI emulator.

With the EFI V8 emulator it is possible to install Leopard's kernel straight from the DVD that you purchased at the Apple store barring the addition of a few drivers to ensure that everything boots and runs smoothly.

Readers should note that these claims have not been independently verified, so this should not seen as an endorsement of this product. However, the technology appears to be derived from the osx86project, which has allowed hobbyists to install Mac OS X on their non-Apple PCs.
The concept is an interesting possibility, and will certainly draw the attention of Apple. The use of Leopard on non Apple-branded hardware is a violation of its End User License Agreement (EULA) and is specifically prohibited.
Update: Psystar appears to have changed the name of their product to "Open Computer". Whether this is a response to a direct request from Apple or is simply an internal company decision in recognition of possible trademark infringement remains unknown.

10 Freeware Software Nobody Knows About - But Should

It’s always a shame when a great program is not heard about by most people - especially when it’s free. Here are the top 10 freeware software that many people still haven’t tried, but definitely should.

 

10. Sharepod

If you want to get all those files off your iPod and into your computer, then this is the program for you. Sharepod was used to show how to freely and easily transfer files from an iPod to PC.

 

9. ConTEXT

Not only is this a great notepad replacement, it is also a great help for software developers.

 

8. IrfanView

Simply put, this is a simple graphic viewer. It has many essential features like email, Thumbnail/preview option, various Effects, changing color depth, and, of course, an extensive file format support.

 

7. Windows Live Writer

Although still in beta, this makes blogging both easy and comfortable. It supports many blog services, including WordPress, Blogger, and TypePad, and also has a some very good plugins.

 

6. Foxit Reader

This is the adobe reader replacement. It is much faster than adobe reader, and much friendlier to use. Try this once, and you’ll never go back.

 

5. Snipping Tool

Comes installed in Windows Vista. This program lets you take screenshots of the whole screen, only a certain program, free-form, or rectangular snips. Immediately after taking the screen shot, you are given the choice of editing it and saving it into your computer. They couldn’t have made it easier.

[Edit: Some people pointed out that this isn’t necessarily freeware because you need to have Vista in order to use it. MWSnap can be used instead of it. Thanks TemporalBeing and everyone else who pointed that out.]

 

4. Blender

Did you ever see the amazing CGI movies Pixar makes, like Ratatouille? Well, with Blender, you can make similar computer generated graphics that will amaze everyone.

 

3. ImgBurn

ImgBurn is great tool to create image files from discs and burn images to discs. It even supports HD DVD and Blu-ray. There is no need to use an high cost programs for images.

 

2. MusikCube

This is what iTunes should be like. An easy to use, uncluttered, lightweight program, which will convert most people to it after seconds of use. The plugins that are available will make for an easy transition, like being able to grab ratings from iTunes or Windows Media Player and import them to MusikCube.

 

1. AutoHotkey

This is the one of the most essential programs ever - if you know how to use it. With AutoHotkey, you can write scripts that automate keystrokes, which can save you a lot of time. You can make it automate annoying internship jobs, like copying and pasting a bunch of text from one place to another, to more complex applications like Lifehacker’s Texter. The beauty of it all is that it very easy to learn and master.

Impressions: "The Sarah Jane Adventures"

"The Sarah Jane Adventures" premiered on the SCI FI Channel last Friday night, kicking off this seasons 'Sci-Friday' slate. he show is based on the life of Sarah Jane Smith after her time as a companion to the Doctor is over. It' also should be noted that it is produced by Russell T. Davies, who also is in charge of "Doctor Who", so "Sarah Jane" was worth checking out on that fact alone.

Here are my first impressions of the show:

The Good

I was pleasantly surprised by the work of Yasmin Paige, who plays Sarah's young sidekick 'Maria'. Even though the show is about Sarah Jane, Maria steals the focus of every scene she is in. She will be the 'companion' to Sarah Jane's version of the Doctor - and that's a good thing.

I also like that Sarah has a stash of alien gizmos and gadgetry. Her 'Sonic Lipstick' fits perfectly in the series, while the other gadgets (probably with the help of 'Luke', the other sidekick) will provide a good basis for Sarah to defeat the alien of the week.

The Not-So-Good

There was a significant amount of overacting. I know the show is trying to skew to a younger audience, but, at one point, I found myself waiting for the villain to go 'Mwahahahahaha!'. I suspect that it will work itself out, as the actors, writers and directors get a feel for each other.

I also thought the debut was a bit long. The premiere was ninety minutes and overall, it was paced fairly well. I did think there was some fluff added to extend it out, though. It was like they had a good seventy-five minutes or so of episode (commercials included, of course) and instead of cutting it down to an hour, they expanded it. Not a bad decision, but still noticeable.

The Bottom Line

It's pretty good. If the acting/writing levels out, I think "The Sarah Jane Adventures" will evolve into a gateway drug to "Doctor Who" - it has the same feel, just on a younger, toned down level.

Blockbuster In Surprise Bid To Buy Circuit City

The news came out early this morning that Blockbuster was making an unsolicited bid to buy Circuit City, which has left many scratching their heads, saying that the synergy isn't all that obvious. Circuit City has been in trouble for a while, and Blockbuster (while a lot healthier than Circuit City) has been facing its own series of challenges. While it's unclear what Blockbuster's plans are, the deal actually could make sense if Blockbuster was really looking distantly into the future about where its market is heading. It knows as well as anybody that video delivery is moving to the internet eventually -- at which point its business model gets a lot trickier. Yet, by owning a retailer selling hardware -- and the rights to content to be distributed to that hardware, things could actually get interesting. Now, I'll say ahead of time that I doubt this is where Blockbuster is heading, but with both movie distribution rights and the ability to sell hardware, it could embrace the economics of infinite goods, by packaging content (infinite) with hardware (scarce), creating a much more compelling offering, than competitors to either firm alone.

Lexi Alexander Gives Quick Punisher Update

If you can believe it, the next Punisher film may be better than the previous one, and it's directed by a girl.

Ok... a woman. Ok, ok... a hot-looking woman.

On her personal blog, director Lexi Alexander gave a brief update on the status of Punisher: Warzone (aka Punisher 2 although it's the third Punisher movie). Among her comments was this one in reply to Ray asking how much the studio wanted to cut the movie:

"Well, thank God it went well and, although I'll probably have to compromise on a few minor notes, it’s not nearly as bad as some of my filmmaker friends predicted it would be. I guess I got away with an actual okay studio experience (knocking on wood since it’s not quite over yet)."

The release date has also been pushed back to December 5th from it's previous September 12th date. Lexi was told this was a good thing, since for some reason violent movies do well in December. Go figure.

For more details including some colorful metaphors, head on over to her blog below.

I don't know why, but I've good a good gut feeling about this one...

Source: LexiAlexander.com

George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead on DVD

Genius Products will release George A. Romero's "Diary of the Dead" on DVD this May 20th. This is the fifth installment in Romero's "Dead" series.
Special features have not been announced yet.
Synopsis:
A group of film students document the rise of the living dead in George A. Romero's latest zombie epic.

Comcast To Save Jericho?

Not only does Comcast bring you all your favorite television programming over the cable-ways, they also make deals that could possibly save some of your favorite programming for additional life on the airways.

Much like the DirecTV / NBC deal that's resurrecting Friday Night Lights (FNL) for a third season, Comcast and CBS are in talks to bring Jericho back to viewers. This particular tidbit is provided by anonymous "insiders" and it makes for an interesting tidbit, but I'm not sure we can hold our breath on this one yet. It's too early to tell if these new business models are really going to pay off.

As an example of "these new business models", let me touch on the Friday Night Lights scenario. Apparently NBC got enough mini-footballs in the mail from FNL fans to consider a resurrection of sorts, and probably helped illuminate the way for the DirecTV - NBC deal being brokered.

The deal is this: NBC's deal with DirecTV would keep Friday Night Lights on the air for a third season, first airing on DirecTV, then later on in "repeats" on NBC. In turn, DirecTV helps defray production costs of the show for the right to air FNL first. This keeps the show afloat, and the reruns are then played over on NBC. Everyone wins... if this works out.

Stargate May Have Another Spinoff

When Stargate SG-1 ended after 10 years, I was surprised to find myself feeling abandoned to some degree. I became comfortable following the familiar characters and the evolving conflicts between humanity and its off-world relationships - kind of like going to work every day. Sure, we have Stargate: Atlantis, but it just isn't quite the same as Stargate SG-1. Atlantis is like a new job. Same 'ol, same 'ol, but a new place to do it in.

But if anyone out there wants to see a new twist on Stargate, there may be some hope for you.

A third live-action series is being conceived by Stargate: Atlantis co-creators Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper called Stargate: Universe and they are looking to make it an independent storyline of the already established Stargate realm.

Instead of a planet or city-bound stargate, the series will take place on a ship that was part of an Ancient experiment probably millions of years ago, but abandoned due to the whole ascension thing.

The background of Stargate Universe is that the Ancients had one unmanned ship go out into the universe placing stargates, and there was a second ship to follow up and explore.

In the Stargate mythos, travelers use a 7-symbol gate address to travel from planet to planet. An eighth chevron allows for travel to different galaxies and by using the proper ninth chevron, travelers will discover the second unmanned Ancient ship.

The pitch for this new show was received well by Sci-Fi Channel but the writers strike was one hurdle that slowed things down. However the bigger hurdle is that the new series would be an expensive show to produce. Wright and Cooper feel they've done the Stargate series right so far and believe they can pull this off, but they don't want to settle for a cheaper version which they don't think would pan out as successfully.

If it does happen, things will go into motion after Atlantis has concluded its run, moving the franchise forward while still holding true to the established background and history.

Amazon: Buy Two Blu-ray Discs, Get One Free

Amazon.com has a new "Buy Two Blu-ray Discs, Get One Free" sale up. Don't miss it. Offer valid through April 18, 2008.
You have 58 titles to choose from including hits like Blade Runner, Fifth Element, Pan's Labyrinth and many more.
Shop the sale!

Star Wars / Darth Maul 1:6 Scale Figure

Darth Maul
Second Chance Opportunity

RAH
12 inch Figure

Item Number: 4362

Manufactured by: Medicom Toy

Price: US $149.99

Summary
Sideshow is pleased to announce that Medicom Toy Coporation has granted 1,000 pcs of the 12-inch RAH Darth Maul figure for the US market. The figure is highly authentic and film accurate, and ready to take life on your shelf in any dynamic pose that you desire. Medicom Toy's RAH body is one of the most articulated 12-inch figure bodies available, capable of nearly any pose that the human (or superhero) body can achieve.
Each Darth Maul figure includes interchangeable hands and a display base, a removable hooded cloak, and comes packaged in a beautiful window display box.
International customers are welcome to order.

Please note: The Medicom RAH series is highly detailed, very well articulated, and of exceptional quality, however, the Medicom 12-inch RAH line is not in the same scale as the Sideshow 12-inch figure line. Please note that the Medicom figures are crafted in a slightly smaller scale than the Sideshow figures.

Specs
License: Star Wars

Product Type: 12 inch Figure

 

Product Size: 12" H (304.8mm)*

 

Box Size: 14.00" H (355.6mm) x 7.00" W (177.8mm) x 4.00" L (101.6mm)*

 

Est. Shipping Weight: 3.00 lbs (1.36 kg)*

Sideshow Collectibles, Inc. - Star Wars / Darth Maul 1:6 Scale Figure

Witchblade: The Complete Series on DVD

On July 22, Warner Bros. will release the entire two-season run of TNT's "Witchblade" starring Yancy Butler as a DVD boxed set.
Synopsis:
While investigating the murder of her childhood friend, NYPD Detective Sara Pezzini comes in contact with an ancient gauntlet, which melds onto her wrist and protects her from harm -- forever changing her destiny. It is the Witchblade, an ancient weapon that heightens her powers of perception and transforms into a formidable sword that is one with its wearer. With an arsenal of amazing powers -- and a mind of its own -- the Witchblade is both a blessing and a curse. Now Sara must learn its secrets in order to master its mystery before it masters her.
Based on the best-selling comic book of the same name, WITCHBLADE is a one-hour drama series starring Yancy Butler (Drop Zone, Hard Target) as the fierce and sexy Sara Pezzini. WITCHBLADE is produced by Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Halsted Pictures, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Ralph Hemecker (Millennium, The X-Files) serves as executive producer with Dan Halsted (Any Given Sunday, The Virgin Suicides) of Halsted Pictures and Marc Silvestri of Top Cow Productions.

017 - Ten Bad Tech Ads

017 - Ten Bad Tech Ads
The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Geek - Ten Bad Tech Ads: The tech industry has a rich and hilarious history of being unable to promote itself as anything other than unutterably dorky. Originally I was going to call this 'The top ten worst tech ads', but as I hunted around and discovered these are pure gold. They are shockingly bad, but you'll derive so much pleasure from watching them it didn't seem right to use 'worst' anymore. Anyway, I've collected ten of my favorites -- in no particular order -- that made my laugh, either because they feature lyrics, awful singing, pathetic old technology, Steve Ballmer or some combination of all of the above. To watch videos I played tonight go to - http://thescifigeek.blogspot.com Promos played: Remember The 80s, Geek By Night, and Treks in Sci-Fi

Ark of Truth Soundtrack

FreeClyde Music announced a limited release of the soundtrack to Stargate: The Ark of Truth, the straight-to-DVD movie based on SCI FI Channel's original series Stargate SG-1, featuring music by the show's longtime composer Joel Goldsmith. The CD drops on April 18, but can be pre-ordered online.
The CD features music recorded live with the Seattle Northwest Sinfonia and includes a 16-page full-color booklet with articles by Ark of Truth writer/director Robert C. Cooper, executive producer Brad Wright and Goldsmith. The CD will also feature original artwork by the FreeClyde team and photography from the film.
The first 100 pre-orders will be signed by the composer. The CD can be purchased at Goldsmith's official Web site.

Sci-Fi TV on NBC

NBC unveiled a 2008-'09 television schedule that's dominated by new and returning SF, fantasy and horror programming, including a series revival of Knight Rider and a new anthology series called Fear Itself, as well as the renewal of Medium, whose fate had been in question.
The announcements came at the network's "infront" (the new nickname for upfronts) presentation to advertisers in New York on April 2.
The shows and miniseries will be part of the network's ambitious 52-week program strategy and will premiere anytime between this May and summer 2009.
The new series include Kings, Fear Itself and Knight Rider, all of which had been expected to make the schedule, as well as the surprise entries My Own Worst Enemy and The Listener.
Waiting in the wings is Merlin. Also on the way is The Last Templar, a Da Vinci Code-esque miniseries.
Returning shows include Chuck and Heroes, which had previously been announced and which will premiere in September, and Medium, which was reportedly on the bubble but will return next winter for a fifth season.
Speaking of the NBC slate in his presentation, Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said, "There is a ton of noise out there. There is a cacophony of crap. Even the sports pages are filled with scandal. We need to break through and deliver eternal themes and heroic themes and entertaining themes and escapist themes. We're going to give you real heroes and superheroes, and we're going to engage you with our content in a dramatic, emotional way."
Debuting on May 29:
Fear Itself. The show, a horror anthology series from the makers of Masters of Horror, will feature such stars as John Billingsley and Shiri Appleby and showcase the talents of directors including Brad Anderson, Mary Harron, Ernest Dickerson, Ronny Yu, John Carpenter and Stuart Gordon.
Shows on the fall 2008-'09 schedule:
Chuck, airing Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Heroes, airing Mondays at 9 p.m.
My Own Worst Enemy, airing Mondays at 10 p.m. Christian Slater makes his television series debut as Henry Spivey, an efficiency expert and married father of two who learns that he has an alter ego named Edward Albright, an operative who speaks numerous languages and can kill with his teeth. The network is touting it as "Jekyll and Hyde meets Jason Bourne." Heroes veteran David Semel directed the pilot and will stay on as executive producer.
Knight Rider, airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. NBC scored a hit with a two-hour backdoor pilot movie that aired in February, and the series picks up where the movie left off. K.I.T.T., the supercar with a mind of its own, returns, as do stars Justin Bruening, Deanna Russo, Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Bruce Davison.
Shows debuting in winter 2009:
Merlin, airing Sundays at 8 p.m. A fantasy series set in Camelot but inspired by 21st-century storytelling, Merlin stars Colin Morgan (Doctor Who) as the title character and Bradley James as Arthur, and it explores the characters' lives before they became legends. Co-stars include Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Richard Wilson and Angel Coulby.
Kings, airing Sundays at 10. A modern-day spin on the King David tale, the show stars Christopher Egan as David and Ian McShane as the king. Michael Green (Heroes) penned the pilot and will executive-produce. I Am Legend helmer Francis Lawrence directed the pilot and will executive-produce the series as well.
Series debuting in summer 2009:
The Listener, airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. Toby Logan (Craig Olejinik of Thirteen Ghosts) is a 24-year-old paramedic and telepath who's always ignored his ability to hear people's thoughts ... until now. Having changed his mind, he uses his unique gift to help others.
Miniseries debuting in 2009:
The Last Templar. In this four-hour miniseries, four horsemen dressed as knights crash the New York Metropolitan Museum during the opening of an exhibition of Vatican treasures and swipe an arcane medieval decoder, thereby sending an archaeologist (Mira Sorvino) and an FBI agent (Scott Foley) on a wild chase for the secrets of the Knights Templar. Co-stars include Victor Garber and Omar Sharif.

Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs on DVD

Fox will release "Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs" on DVD this June 24th. Don't miss this thrilling conclusion to Futurama: Benders Big Score!
Extras will include Audio commentaries, a "Long-Lost, Full-Length Adventure Produced for the Futurama XBOX Video Game," "Deleted Scenes," and lots more!
Synopsis:
Bender and the Planet Express crew must work to fix rips between their universe and another inhabited by a planet-sized, tentacle alien which soon takes over the Earth and uses it's ability to control Fry to command an entire religion which takes over and convinces the inhabitants of Earth to abandon the Earth to live in a pseudo-heaven, leaving the robots of the world to inherit the planet.

eBay Bans Auctions Of Digital Goods

We've pointed out more than a few times how digital goods muck up traditional markets that are based on the concept of scarcity, and it appears that eBay has come to the same conclusion. It's now banned the direct sale of purely digital goods from either its auctions or its direct sales offerings. Instead, those who want to sell digital goods need to put up a classified ad on the site, rather than a transactional platform. The basic reason has to do with the (wouldn't you know it?) infinitely reproduceable nature of digital goods. That allows eBay sellers to list the same product many, many, many times over, since they have an infinite supply. This practice is screwing up listings and (more importantly) is being used to manipulate feedback ratings, and so eBay has done away with it.

Second Futurama DVD In June

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release the second of four new Futurama movies, The Beast With a Billion Backs, on DVD June 24.
The company described the movie this way: In their latest extraterrestrial exploit, Bender, Fry, Leela and the crew encounter a repulsive, planet-sized creature with billions of probing tentacles and find themselves involved in a disturbing--yet sensuous--interplanetary love story.
The movie will feature guest voice performances from David Cross, Brittany Murphy, Dan Castellaneta and physicist Stephen Hawking.
Futurama: The Beast With a Billion Backs also features bonus materials, including commentary from Matt Groening and David X. Cohen and cast members Billy West, John DiMaggio and Maurice LaMarche, as well as director Peter Avanzino and producers Claudia Katz, Lee Supercinski and Michael Rowe. Other extras include a 30-minute "Lost Futurama Adventure" and behind-the-scenes featurettes "Meet Yivo!" (with David Cross) and "A Brief History of Deathball," as well as a sneak peek at the next Futurama movie, Bender's Game. The disc also contains storyboard animatics, deleted scenes and bloopers. Futurama: The Beast With a Billion Backs will carry a suggested retail price of $29.98.

Iron Man Robert Downey Jr Addresses His Past

Robert Downey Jr., who plays the title character in Jon Favreau's upcoming Iron Man movie, told SCI FI Wire that he's aware that his personal history resonates with that of his character, millionaire playboy Tony Stark, who has his own history of substance abuse.
The tabloid-fodder Oscar nominee--who is perhaps better known for his prison sentence (on drug- and alcohol-related charges) and rehab stints than for his critically acclaimed performances in such films as Chaplin and The Singing Detective--addressed the issue in a question from SCI FI Wire on the film's Playa Vista, Calif., set last June.
Downey, who successfully completed rehab in 2002 and by all accounts has been clean and sober since, is ready for the inevitable question.
"I think when someone has had a fundamental change, and they're not just trying to backpedal and make it seem like 'I'm going to rehab again, everything's fine,' whatever, ... my thing is, what else is attractive [to me about the role] is, yeah, Tony Stark, he's been known to go bonkers and be so irresponsible that he's, like, too hammered to put on his shoes," Downey says in his typical elliptical way. "And [when they approached me,] I was like, 'Really?' And they were like, 'Yeah, really.'"
Even so, Downey downplays the significance of his personal history to the casting and the character. "There's so much stuff in this movie as it is that we decided not to do, like, the Pirandello thing," he says, referring to the Italian dramatist and his play, Six Characters in Search of an Author, in which the lines between actors and their characters are blurred. "But I get it. In a way, that's why it's, like, ideally suited for me, and I'm ideally suited for it."
In a well-known 1979 Iron Man comic arc, "Demon in a Bottle," Stark struggles with alcoholism, a first for a major superhero character.
That particular aspect of Stark's character won't come up in the first Iron Man movie, but will be addressed in any sequels, director Favreau says. He acknowledges the similarities between Stark and Downey's own personal histories, but added that the casting allowed him to go to new places.
"When we cast Robert--when he was approved and we got him to be in the movie and Marvel gave it the OK--it completely freed me," Favreau said. "Because I knew I was halfway there to having a movie that I could be proud of. ... I can't think of anybody better than him. He brings a reality, a humor, a panache, ... a life of experience. ... There's a lot of Tony Stark in him, and that's so much better than trying to teach somebody to pretend that they are funny or pretend that they are smart or pretend that they are talented." Iron Man opens May 2.