As if it were any surprise, many of next year’s blockbuster films will be coming to IMAX at the same time as they hit regular theaters. With that obvious news comes the neat tidbit that Jon Favreau’s upcoming sequel to 2008′s Iron Man will also be hitting the mondo-screen along with the regular-sized ones.

Unlike The Dark Knight, for example, Iron Man 2 wasn’t always planned for IMAX  and was sent to IMAX to be blown up for next year’s release. The current IMAX release is set to hit on May 7th, the same as as the non-IMAX version comes out.

The sequel will star Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, and Samuel L. Jackson. This story will focus on Stark (Downey Jr.) coming out to the public as Iron Man, while facing a backlash of enemies in both of his lifestyles.

Taking advantage of the anticipation building towards to Saturday’s Iron Man 2 presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, USA Today has posted new stills from the movie that will undoubtedly whet the appetites of fans everywhere.

Over at the site, readers are treated to images of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, amid racing wreckage, the stylishly professional Gywneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, a surprisingly demure Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Don Cheadle as Col. James Rhodes under oath.

Regardless of the success of the first movie (and the legendary presentation to Comic-Con crowds in 2007), both Downey Jr and director Jon Favreau understand the importance of presenting the right impression to the 125,000 fans flocking to Comic-Con this year.

“This is about the toughest group there is to impress,” says Downey Jr., “They’re watching your footage, every one of them waiting to Twitter whether you suck.”

“You can’t underestimate how powerful this group is,” Favreau says. “It’s an unlimited press corps, all of them knowing how to communicate in a digital age. The geeks have inherited the Earth, and that’s good news for us.”

Iron Man 2 will be in theaters May 7, 2010. Meantime, click through to see larger versions of some of the photos.

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Here’s a list of some of the new DVD and Blu-ray releases this week we’re particularly interested in. Plus, some old favorites (and not so favorites) coming out this week for the first time on Blu-Ray.

Movies:

• Watchmen (Director’s Cut) ~ Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Jackie Earle Hailey (DVD and Blu-ray)

• Coraline ~ Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman, and Jennifer Saunders (DVD and Blu-ray)

• 300: The Complete Experience ~ Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West (Blu-ray)

• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow ~ Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Angelina Jolie, and Giovanni Ribisi (DVD and Blu-ray)

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