After the success he has, and he still is enjoying with the Darren Aronofsky-directed “The Wrestler,” actor Mickey Rourke is continuing his winning streak with possibly another blockbuster already under his belt. Several sources focused on the film industry are reporting that the actor is in talks to take up a villain role in the upcoming “Iron Man2.”

If this checks out and Rourke does star as the baddie in the 2010 action flick, he would join an already all-stellar cast made of Robert Downey Jr., one of the most sought after actors in 2008, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle, who comes to replace Terrence Howard. It is rumored that another possible villain will be played by Sam Rockwell, which would be one of the biggest studio appearances for the actor mostly known for his indie dramas.

So far, Marvel has managed to keep a closed lid on the upcoming Iron Man project, but speculation in the blogosphere has it that Rourke would take on the part of “a tattooed Russian heavy named Ivan who becomes Whiplash, a man with deadly, technologically enhanced coils.” as THR informs. Rockwell, on the other hand, “would play Justin Hammer, a multibillionaire businessman and a rival of industrialist Anthony Stark, AKA Iron Man, being played by a returning Robert Downey Jr.” as per the aforementioned source.    

“Iron Man 2,” scheduled for a theatrical release in May 2010, will hopefully start shooting this spring in Manhattan Beach. If the success its predecessor had is any indication to the way it will perform at the box-office once it hit screens worldwide, then it’s highly likely that this sequel will not be the last Marvel is going to put out, it is already being said.

Marvel has not yet commented anything on the rumor of Mickey Rourke joining the cast, as neither did the actor’s spokesperson. What with the award season practically here, more on this is bound to come out sooner or later, so stay tuned here.