All of this suggests that “Iron Man 4” is a complicated project for Marvel, and it mostly hinges on making sure that Robert Downey Jr. will be able to participate. If that doesn’t happen, the series could indeed go through some drastic changes.
The actor himself is apparently looking forward to “Captain America: Civil War” and its arrival on the screen, as he sees his role in that film as a small substitute for the actual “Iron Man 4”.
Of course, for many of his fans, that’s definitely not enough, and they would prefer to get the real deal sooner or later. It looks like “sooner” is completely out of the question right now though, and 2020 seems to be the earliest possible date for the release of the next film, at least according to the public schedule of the studio.
There is plenty of activity in the superhero genre right now anyway, so those who enjoy watching their favorite Marvel characters in explosive action scenes on the big screen have a lot to pass their time in the next four years. A lot more is coming too, as both Marvel and DC have been very active in bringing out new releases and exploring their respective franchises in all their aspects. Some fans even agree that the genre has become a bit overcrowded lately, so slowing things down for a while might not be a bad move for both studios.