‘Iron Man 3’ Official trailer

"Iron Man 3" Production kicked off on Monday in Wilmington, N.C. and to celebrate the moment, Marvel Studios has released the first official behind-the-scenes image from the movie. The photo gives fans a look at franchise star Robert Downey Jr.  as he surveys retired Iron Man suits in his workshop.

Downey told The News in April  "Any time I put the suit on once I get past the initial discomfort, it's still fun. I definitely I have a return to the sense of wonder that I had before doing the first 'Iron Man' going into the third one."

Downey reprises his role as the titular hero's alter ego, Tony Stark, for the fourth time and is joined by co-stars Gwenyth Platrow and Don Cheadle.

Jon Favreau, who has directed the first two "Iron Man" movies, will reprise his role as Happy "Hap" Hogan but has given the reins over to first time director Shane Black.

While the movie's plot has been kept under tight wraps Disney has said fans can expect another great Iron Man film. Rumor has it that Tony Stark/Iron Man will head to China to face his toughest opponent, Mandarin. Ben Kingsley is playing the role.   Guy Pearce plays another nemeses, Aldrich Killian.

Official trailer

"Iron Man 3" is the second Marvel film to be owned, marketed and released under the Disney brand after the box office record-setting film, "The Avengers."

From Marvel:

In Marvel's "Iron Man 3", brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man played by Robert Downey Jr., is pitted against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Iron Man 3 continues the epic adventures of "Iron Man" and "Iron Man 2", starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, "Iron Man 3" is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Shane Black and is based on Marvel's iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of "Tales of Suspense" (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with "The Invincible Iron Man" (#1) in May of 1968. "Iron Man 3" arrives in UK cinemas on April 26th 2013.