Is he or isn’t he? Will he, or won’t he? The topic of a fourth Iron Man movie swirls around Robert Downey Jr. everywhere he goes. And while appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this afternoon, Downey appeared to offer something we didn’t expect: A confirmation.
Now, let’s pause for a second and figure this out. Was Robert Downey Jr. simply offering a "Yes" to appease his host? Possibly. But RDJ is the ultimate media-savvy actor, and this isn’t his first ride at the rodeo. He knows, from years of experience, that every word he utters in publish will be analyzed under the microscope of Marvel fanatics wondering if Iron Man 4 is a possibility. He could have said, "Maybe." He could have said, "Ellen, we’ll see." He didn’t. He offered a straight up conformation, and for now, we’re happy to have it.
This is interesting because, even though Robert Downey Jr. is on the publicity circuit for his legal-family drama The Judge, he has been fielding Iron Man 4 questions left and right … and providing little insights. Earlier, he joked about how he’d only return to Iron Man is his Air America partner, Mel Gibson, was hired to direct. And today, during his Reddit AMA, Downey clarified that statement, while adding this intriguing quote:
It was an offhanded remark to a journalist and friend. I have other projects in mind for Mel and I - sooner than later the Marvel Roster will be made public and all questions will be answered."
The "Marvel roster?" What could that be? The full line up of future Marvel projects? Did Robert Downey Jr. sneak a peek at Marvel President Kevin Feige’s wall calendar, getting an idea of the standalone solo movies, the sequels, and the spinoffs to which the studio has now committed? And on that calendar, does it really say Iron Man 4? Plans are afoot at Marvel Studios, of this we have no doubt. And Robert Downey Jr. will be a major part of future decisions. He will appear next in Avengers: Age of Ultron. And he’s contracted for a third Avengers movie. Beyond that? It’s the negotiations RDJ joked about in the above clip. But from the recent chatter, and this video, it’s sounding more and more like Iron Man 4 is in the conversation. Are you intrigued?
