Rourke 'offered $250k for Iron Man 2'

Mickey Rourke has reportedly been offered $250,000 (£181,000) to appear in the forthcoming sequel to Iron Man.

According to Variety, Marvel's opening low-ball offer reflects the overall trend of Hollywood studios "proceeding cautiously" in the current economic crisis.

"Studios are telling us, we need movies, but they want us to proceed with projects without spending money, and without actually pulling the trigger and making commitment," said one producer.

Rourke, who has received an Oscar nomination for his comeback performance in The Wrestler, had been slated to play main villain Crimson Dynamo.

An agency chief told the magazine: "There is no such thing as a quote anymore. You tell them your client’s quote; they smile and say, 'Here is the offer'. Even when you agree on a deal, it’s harder to get the trigger pulled, with more signoffs than in the past."