Hollywood prop makers are building an Iron Man suit for soldiers

After the global success of 'Iron Man' and its subsequent sequels the U.S military has decided to embark on a quest to bring superhero powers to soldiers deployed on the battlefield.

Codenamed 'TALOS', the superhuman Iron Man suit will allow infantry to see in the dark, deflect bullets and have 'superhuman strength'. However, the suit will require significant power to be able to give soldiers the kind of abilities Robert Downey Jr displayed at the cinema.

According to WSJ, the development of the new Iron Man suit is being led by Legacy Effects, a Hollywood special effects company that not only worked on the Iron Man franchise, but also 'The Terminator' and other blockbuster movies.

The approach by the U.S military to adapt fiction to reality has raised a few eyebrows since the project was first revealed last year.

In theory, if the Iron Man suit could be developed so that it was light enough, and versatile enough for combat soldiers and marines to wear, it could significantly alter the balance of power on the ground in an armed conflict.

Now we're wondering whether Hollywood talent will bring forward more creative ideas into the military. Are Star Trek ships and Star Wars Stormtrooper outfits next?