Marvel Studios announced that it has signed Jeff Bridges to the big screen adaptation of comic book icon Iron Man. Jeff Bridges will join the cast of the highly-anticipated summer 2008film. Bridges marks the fourth Academy-Award recognized actor signed on to the project, starring alongside Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Oscar nominee Terrence Howard as Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes and Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow as Virginia "Pepper" Potts. Directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man is scheduled to blast into theaters May 2, 2008. Few specifics of Bridges' role were released. He will portray a close business associate of Tony Stark. A confidant and longtime employee at defense contractor Stark Industries, Bridges' character plays a major role in shaping Tony Stark's life.