The first teaser trailer for Marvel‘s new Iron Man outing, Iron Man 3, will be unveiled to the world in the next 24 hours. As you’d expect, some images, a poster and some ‘sneak peek’ clips have been released ahead of the trailer’s arrival.

The images (via ScreenRant) provide us with our first look at The Mandarin, played by acting legend Ben Kingsley – an the international terrorist who sets his sights on destroying the world that Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) built. Aside from this we know little about The Mandarin’s motives in the film… but Kingsley sure looks menacing in the pic.

The images also reveal Stark in his new Extremis armour (which Tony can summon to his body by will) and that the budding relationship between Stark and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) will be more fully explored – expect her to be kidnapped or taken hostage at some point. We also get our first ‘in film’ look at the Iron Patriot – although we don’t yet know who will be inside the suit, and whether it’s built from confiscated Stark tech or is simply an upgraded version of War Machine from Iron Man 2.

Lastly, the two sneak peek clips up the anticipation further, but reveal little more – aside from giving us our first look at Guy Pearce‘s villainous character (and the creator of Extremis technology), the geneticist Aldrich Killian, and reveal an interesting moment when Stark is passionately pinned to a wall by a woman who’s not Pepper!

Here are the new images:

The new poster:

Note: This is the US poster. NZ gets the film on 25/4/13… Yes!

The sneak peaks for the teaser trailer:

http://youtu.be/BaWXvTg2z74

http://youtu.be/2LKxUpTussg

You excited for Iron Man 3 or need a break from The Avengers?

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man 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?

Directed by Shane Black, the film stars Robert Downey Jr, Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, Ben Kingsley, Jon Favreau, William Salder, Don Cheadle, William Hunt, James Badge Dale and Ashley Hamilton.

Iron Man 3 is due for release in New Zealand on April 25, 2013 – one week ahead of both the US!

(Sources: ScreenRant, Marvel Aus/NZ, Entertainment Weeky and USA Today)