Last summer, insiders on the set of Iron Man 2 let slip that Gwyneth Paltrow was upset that new co-star Scarlett Johansson had been given higher billing in the movie's promotional posters.
And no wonder Gwyneth was smarting - the latest set of stills from the upcoming sequel show Scarlett as a smouldering Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. the Black Widow, in a figure-hugging Lara Croft-style black catsuit.
The 25-year-old's character joins the cast as an undercover spy, even sexy in her secretarial guise as a new assistant to Tony Stark (a.k.a Iron Man), played by Robert Downey Jr.
Smouldering: Scarlett Johansson stars in Iron Man 2 as the Black Widow, in a figure-hugging black catsuit
Meanwhile Gwyneth, who at 37, is 12 years older than the new cast member, reprises her role as Pepper Potts, Stark's closest friend and budding love interest.
But she should at least feel fresh-faced alongside the second new addition, Mickey Rourke, who plays Ivan Vanko, a.k.a. Whiplash - a character based on a combination of Blacklash and Crimson Dynamo from the original comic.
The original 2008 film based on the classic Marvel comic, and directed by actor Jon Favreau, told the story of Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton to become the superhero Iron Man.
The new girl: Scarlett (left) in her secretarial guise as Natasha Romanoff, and right, as the Black Widow
Iron Man: Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as billionaire inventor Tony Stark. Right, in his all-powerful suit
In the latest film, which is due for release in the UK on April 30, the world is finally aware that Stark is the armored superhero.
But this time round he is under pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share the secrets to his invention.
Fearing the information will slip into the wrong hands, Stark, Potts and James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, played by Don Cheadle, take on the world.
Budding love-interest: Gwyneth Paltrow reappears in Iron Man 2 as Pepper Potts, Stark's trusty sidekick
Upstaged: Gwyneth was said to be angry after her character was left off campaign images in favour of Scarlett
‘Gwyneth was afraid she’d be upstaged by Scarlett and not being in the campaign was the final straw,' they said.
'She is furious she’s been left out.’
Scarlett was cast as Romanoff after Emily Blunt, producers' original choice for the part, was forced to pull out due to a scheduling conflict.
Given these pictures, it seems to have been a lucky turn of events for film executives - even if not for Gwyneth.
New addition: Mickey
Rourke plays Ivan Vanko, a.k.a. Whiplash, a character based on a
combination of Blacklash and Crimson Dynamo from the original comic
Taking on the world:
In the latest film, due for release on April 30, the world is finally
aware that Stark is the armored superhero and he is forced to protect
the secrets behind his invention
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