In a manner of speaking, it is perfectly acceptable for someone like Tony Stark to upstage the Oscar ceremonies — it fits with his modus operandi perfectly. And while I will accept the fact that Tony Stark is a fictional character played by Robert Downey Jr. and the Academy Awards are very (mostly) real, the assessment still stands: this brand new Iron Man 2 trailer, which debuted on Jimmy Kimmel Live this evening, is far more exciting than the Oscars. Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios have provided us with a copy of the trailer, which I’m more than happy to pass along to you. Director Jon Favreau has once again unleashed the excitement of the Iron Man universe, and this time new characters — played by the talented cast of Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson — are coming along for the ride. The new trailer and the film’s synopsis are below. Iron Man 2 is in theaters May 7, 2010.

Synopsis:

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances — and confront powerful enemies.

Trailer:

Side Note: The Iron Man suit in a suitcase… A classic throwback to the early Iron Man comics. How badass is that?