Why Iron Man 2 ignores Hollywood 3D mania 

Iron Man 2 was already in production when 3D Avatar made history. And though 3D is now a mainstream a tool, it’s not always appropriate, say filmmakers.

By Gloria Goodale

Los Angeles

Summer movie-going begins at midnight with “Iron Man 2,” the Marvel sequel projected to threaten the first-weekend box-office performance of the current record-holder, 2008’s “The Dark Knight.” But remarkably, in the new Hollywood 3D bonanza led by the best-selling movie of all time, “Avatar,” the Iron Man 2 is coming to theaters in good, old-fashioned 2D, no 3D version in sight.

There are good reasons for that – primarily that the film was already in production long before James Cameron showed the industry the power and promise of 3D moviemaking.

But the sky-high expectations for the Robert Downey Jr. star vehicle raise questions about the current 3D craze in Hollywood, one which has led to the awkward, last-minute conversion of films such as “Clash of the Titans,” from 2D into 3D, as well as virtually every studio searching through its vaults for films to “re-master” in 3D.

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