At this point, Robert Downey Jr.’s back and forth over Iron Man 4 is beginning to make us feel nauseous. After his appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show just two days ago, it seemed as though a fourth instalment in the superhero saga was a bygone conclusion. However, after speaking with David Letterman on last night’s The Late Show, it appears as though the actor has gave the definitive answer.
“There are no plans for Iron Man 4 … There’s no script for Iron Man 4, but [Marvel does] have a plan and I think they’re going to announce it – you know, they’re very secretive about it. Just between us, no — but I’m going to do other stuff with Marvel. I’m still going to be involved with Marvel and there’s going to be plenty of other fun stuff.”
The fact that Downey Jr. cites “other stuff” in his latest take on the subject matter hints that Marvel may very well keep standalone films on the back burner as it enters Phase 3 — at least, for those characters who are already well established. As such, this line of thought could mean Downey Jr.’s future with the company will primarily be concerned with the larger, ensemble pieces.
Recent reports have also suggested that there will be an entirely new band of heroes for The Avengers 3 when it eventually rolls around in a few years time. And while this notion remains firmly filed in the rumour cabinet, it would be an interesting route for Marvel to pursue in order to keep things fresh — after all, the company aren’t exactly short of superheroes waiting in the wings.
Either way, one thing that is certain is that Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role as Tony Stark — everyone’s favourite genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist — in Avengers: Age of Ultron when it opens on May 1st, 2015.
If Robert Downey Jr. appears on another chat show in the near future, we’ll surely have another angle on Iron Man 4 for you to read all about. Expert prankster or savvy hype-stirrer? We’ll leave that one to you.