Marvel Studios has not said anything official about “Iron Man 4” but speculations are rife that the production company could give the film a green light sometime in 2019 for release in 2020.
As it is, Marvel has three mystery movies slated in 2020 and one of them could actually be “Iron Man 4.” However, several factors have to be considered if the production company is looking at giving the title role to Robert Downey Jr. again.
For one, Robert Downey Jr. would be 54 years old by 2019, about the time when the possible filming for “Iron Man 4” could begin. It means that he would not be as agile as say he was when he started filming for the first “Iron Man” movie back in 2011 when he was in his mid-40s.
And for the other, his salary would have been in the range of US$150 million by then considering that he is set to reprise his role as Tony Stark and Iron Man in at least three more Marvel movies including “Captain America: Civil War” due to hit theaters on May 6 this year, and the two-part “Avengers: Infinity War” to be released in cinemas in 2018 and 2019.
From a business standpoint, investing on Robert Downey Jr. for “Iron Man 4” would be a good bet for Marvel Studios since all its films featuring the American actor taking the role of Tony Stark and donning iron suit have made money on the box-office.
All three “Iron Man” movies are certified blockbusters and the two “Avengers” films that featured Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and Iron Man have made it to the Top 10 list of all-time highest grossing movies.
But considering the hefty salary that they have to shell out for the actor every time they make a movie featuring him, Marvel Studios will actually be making more money if it just reboots the movie for “Iron Man 4” and cast a different and younger actor for the role, notes the Korea Portal.
It may make sense, to say the least, considering that by 2020, it is already the Marvel superheroes and their respective alter-egos whom fans have associated with instead of the actors playing them. That could also be the same strategy that may be employed by Marvel Studios in the future for other superhero characters.
Nothing in the pipeline
While there have been reports that a fourth “Iron Man” movie may already be in the works at this time, it was actually Robert Downey Jr. who confirmed during a guesting at The Ellen Degeneres Show late in 2014 that there is no “Iron Man 4” in the pipeline and that he would be the first to announce it in public if the movie is given the green light.
Eventually, there came out rumors that Downey Jr. will no longer be reprising his role as Tony Stark and Iron Man in “Iron Man 4,” which the Parent Herald really finds odd since Marvel Studios actually put back the actor to the Hollywood A-lister club with the “Iron Man” franchise.
The “Iron Man” movies made Downey Jr. as the highest-paid Hollywood actor for three consecutive years, according to Forbes, so it would be a no-brainer for the actor to turn down the offer if ever there is one.
Apparently, there is none yet at this point and that is the reason why Robert Downey Jr. is not talking about “Iron Man 4.”
Too many superhero movies
There are also reports that have been going around as of late that Marvel Studios is still uncertain whether to release a fourth “Iron Man” movie sometime in the future.
Some critics are now saying that Marvel Studios is deferring its decision on “Iron Man 4” because of the very important factor of viewer saturation.
Apparently, Marvel is thinking very strategic at this point since Warner Bros will be challenging the film outfit in the box office beginning this year with an array of films based on DC Comics.