It all started with rumors of Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell both being in Iron Man 2. While Rockwell’s role was confirmed, Rourke was quoted saying that he wasn’t doing the movie. The problem there was, there was some money questions, the Oscars were coming, and his beloved dog had just died. Because of this, you could just feel the lack of finality to it all and it was very much expected that there was more on this to come.

Now word comes from Deadline Hollywood that a deal had indeed been reached for Rourke to play the role of a “Russian villain” in the movie. Word is that Rourke’s agent, David Unger, worked out a “significant” deal after the initial $250,000 offer.

Rourke is in Russia promoting The Wrestler, so he’s planning on immediately beginning to research for his role of this Russian villain, though we’re still not 100% clear on who exactly it will be from the Iron Man mythology. Will it be Crimson Dynamo, Whiplash? Will it be someone else?

Iron Man 2 also stars Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson. It is directed by Jon Favreau and will be released on May 7, 2010.