Despite the fact that Robert Downey Jr.’s current contract with Marvel Studios only extends to Avengers: Age of Ultron and The Avengers 3, there’s been a lot of talk recently suggesting that he could reprise the role of Tony Stark for a fourth Iron Man movie, which isn’t surprising given the $1.2 billion box office haul of last year’s Iron Man 3. Earlier in the week, Downey hinted at the possibility, stating that “I’m sure we’ll ride that thing” and now he has elaborated on the contract situation and his future as Tony Stark during an interview with Deadline.
“That’s all being talked about on a bunch of different levels right now. To me, it comes down to what’s the half-life of people enjoying a character? It’s different on TV, where you expect the longevity over seasons while movies get a two or three year break. Marvel keeps stepping up its game, and I appreciate the way Kevin Feige and all the creatives there think. They are as in the creative wheelhouse as any great studio has been at any point. So it becomes a matter of, at what point do I cease to be an asset to what they’re doing, and at what point do I feel I am spending so much time either shooting or promoting these films that I’m not actually able to get off the beachhead and do the kind of other stuff that is good for all of us. Each one of those movies is spread over two years and some people fit other things in. But I’m not 42, I’m turning 50 and now I’ll have two small kids instead of one grown one, and eight Team Downey projects with people who are imagining I’m not just spending Warner Bros’ money out of vanity, but that I’m taking it seriously. It all has become this thing that has to be figured out. It has come to a head, right now, where the points of departure will be.”
Downey then went on to discuss his pal Mel Gibson, joking that he would return for Iron Man 4 if the Braveheart and Apocalypto director was at the helm of the film: “Why not? That movie would be bananas.”
Would you like to see Robert Downey Jr. returning for Iron Man 4, and how about Mel Gibson as director?
Originally published October 3, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
