The first official trailer for Marvel Studios’ next summer superhero extravaganza Iron Man 3 isn’t set to premiere until this Tuesday, October 23, but thanks to an interactive effort by fans of the movie’s Facebook page, we’re getting a brief sneak preview of the trailer now.

You can check out the 18-second video here below.

It looks like the launch trailer will feature a great deal of the footage that was shown during the Iron Man 3 panel at the San Diego Comic-Con back in July.

In this preview vid we get tantalizing glimpses of Robert Downey Jr. looking mighty pensive in his fourth go-around as Tony Stark and ol’ Shellhead, Gwyneth Paltrow making a face like she’s the recipient of the most painful bikini wax in the history of humankind, a few nifty shots of the new Iron Man armor in action, and a cryptic back shot of what appears to be the movie’s major big bad, the Mandarin (played by Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley). I was awaiting this trailer with slight trepidation, but now I am eagerly anticipating the full spot.

Iron Man 3 is directed by Shane Black (writer of Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout, director of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – still one of Downey’s best movies) from a script he co-wrote with Drew Pearce and co-stars Don Cheadle (back for round two as Lt. Col. James Rhodes), Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, James Badge Dale, and Stephanie Szostak. Jon Favreau, the director of the first two Iron Man movies, also returns to the franchise but only on acting duty this time as Stark’s loyal bodyguard Happy Hogan. The film opens on May 3, 2013.

Video

[Source: Facebook via Superhero Hype]