Robert Downey Jr. has been skeptical about the idea of “Iron Man 4” lately, and the actor’s schedule is quite busy with various other projects. It doesn’t look like he has any real interest in reprising his role as the famous superhero for now, and even if he does, his arrangements will likely prevent him from doing that for some time. However, there are rumors that the next installment in the “Iron Man” franchise could still happen, with or without Downey Jr.’s involvement.
It’s rumored that the film is being prepared for a release in 2020, as Marvel have reserved three specific dates during that year for new launches. The dates span between May and November, and while the studio hasn’t announced what films they have in mind for that year, many suspect that one of them is “Iron Man 4”. Various publications have repeated this notion, and even though we don’t have any specific clues in support of this theory, there aren’t that many projects Marvel could have on their plate right now.
In the meantime, Robert Downey Jr. will appear in several new films – after “Captain America: Civil War”, we’re also going to see him in “Avengers: Infinity War”, which wouldn’t give him much time to take part in the next “Iron Man”. Of course, Marvel could postpone the filming of the new film in order to accommodate for the busy schedule of the actor, but some fans suspect that the studio might choose a different approach.
Some see this situation as an opportunity to reimagine the “Iron Man” franchise and take it in a new direction. Even if one of the 2020 films is indeed going to be “Iron Man 4”, there are still some potential problems with the involvement of Downey Jr. in it – such as the actor’s age. While he would probably like to continue his career for some time and it’s not likely that he will choose to retire so early, his appearance might change too much to make him a viable candidate for the character of Iron Man.
With that in mind, Marvel could choose to revisit the story from a new perspective, with some fans suggesting a prequel that takes a more detailed look at the past of the superhero. That idea might have some potential, but so far it’s just a theory brought up by wishful fans, and not anything based on actual evidence. But given the way things are going, it could definitely be a viable choice for Marvel.
It’s also possible that they will replace Robert Downey Jr. with another actor for the fourth installment in the franchise. It will be a shocking change for some fans, but it wouldn’t be the first time a film series has gone through something like that. And in all fairness, it’s possible that a new actor could portray the role just as well as Downey Jr.
It will still be a problematic situation for the studio though, and they seem to be well aware of that fact. Robert Downey Jr. has contributed a lot to the character of Iron Man, and he has left a deep mark on the industry with the role. He has raised the bar quite highly, and it would take a lot of effort for his successor to jump over it at this point. And it’s pretty much inevitable that fans will make that comparison as soon as the new film is out.