Robert Downey Jr. has been the force behind a number of recent Marvel films including his own "Iron Man" franchise as well as the "Avengers" series.
It has been confirmed that Downey, Jr. has signed an extension on his Marvel contract, there has been many talks that "The Judge" actor is ready to move on from the superhero movies. With three Iron Man movies under his belt, many fans are eager to find out if the beloved superhero will be coming back for a fourth film.
Speaking to Empire Magazine for its newest issue, the 49-year-old celebrity shares why he signed on for "Captain America: Civil War." The actor shared, via Cosmicbooknews.com that his participation was necessary for the "Civil War" film to push through.
"They said to me, 'If we have you, we can do this, or Cap 3 has to be something else.' It's nice to feel needed. And at this point it's about helping each other, too. I look at it as a competition and I go, 'Wow, maybe if these two franchises teamed up and I can take even a lesser position, with people I like and directors I respect, maybe we can keep things bumping along."
Considering that he's on-board for Avengers 2 and 3 along with Captain America 3, the chances of Robert having time the to continue on in the role for a fourth film seems a while away.
Fans of the "Sherlock" actor needn't worry though, Downey assures the public that he'll still be working with Marvel in the future.
"I'm going to do other stuff with Marvel. I'm still going to be involved with Marvel and there's gonna be plenty of fun stuff to happen," said the actor during an appearance with David Letterman, as quoted by ScreenCrush.
Could that be a hint that he'll be passing on the suit and moving on from his role as Iron Man? To date, nothing has been officially announced by studios regarding the production of "Iron Man 4" but a lot can still happen.
Marvel's Cinematic Universe
Based on an analysis by The Verge, unlike other franchises that have multiple actors in a single role, like James Bond, Marvel's Cinematic Universe comprises of 21 films until 2019, 10 of which have been released, give in production and six to be announced.
The films are all intertwined in a singular plot and with more than a decade of films to be released, one has to consider the possibility of replaceent.
For the meantime, fans can see Downey take on the role of Iron Man in the upcoming films, "Avengers: Age of Ultron" due out May 1, 2015 as well as "Captain America: Civil War" when it hits cinemas May 6, 2016.
