REPORT: Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel in Talks for Two 'Avengers' Sequels but Not 'Iron Man 4'

We've been closely following the story of Robert Downey Jr. and his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor's contract with Marvel Studios was fulfilled with Iron Man 3, and Downey has been talking about possibly hanging up the suit of armor, but on the heels of The Avengers and Iron Man 3's record-setting box office performances, it seems like Disney and Marvel would have to bring back Downey for The Avengers 2 and Iron Man 4.

On Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter reported that negotiations had begun, but instead of focusing on The Avengers 2 and Iron Man 4, the involved parties have been talking The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3.

Sources close to the dealmaking say Downey has entered negotiations to reprise his role in Marvel’s The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3, the first of which has a May 1, 2015, release date and will cap what is known as Phase 2 of the Marvel movies in the same way 2012’s Avengers culminated the first Marvel wave that began with 2008’s Iron Man. Avengers 3 has no release date and probably will not hit screens at least until the end of Phase 3, in 2017. 

But sources say Iron Man 4 has not been part of the discussions, and it’s unclear whether Downey, 48, wants to return for another stand-alone sequel.

Are Marvel and Disney ready to put the Iron Man franchise on hiatus if it means they can secure their biggest star for two more installments of The Avengers?

There's both reward and risk in this particular plan. If Marvel locks Downey in for The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3, they know that they'll be able to cap off the next two phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with movies starring the actor. If Phase Two ends with a Downey-less The Avengers 2, that movie is going to look weak in comparison to Iron Man 3. The studio would sacrifice another Iron Man movie — its biggest character franchise — in order to protect the finale of each phase.

This plan would delay any future developments on the Iron Man front though. If Downey signs a deal for two more Avengers movies, we'll see him in The Avengers 2 in 2015, and if Marvel follows its previous timeframe, again when The Avengers 3 comes out in 2018. With Downey still playing Tony Stark, there'll be a six-year gap span after Iron Man 3 when Marvel can capitalize on its most popular character only twice. If the studio were to recast the Iron Man role, they would have the ability to add Iron Man 4 to Phase Three of the Cinematic Universe. If Downey is Iron Man in The Avengers films, it would be kind of weird for Marvel to recast him in just the character's standalone movies.

While Marvel's other character franchises — Captain America, Thor and Hulk — perform well at the box office, they've never put up number like the Iron Man movies. Marvel is also launching Guardians of the Galaxy in Phase Two and Ant-Man and Doctor Strange in Phase Three. These franchises all have the potential to be the next big thing, but as of now, they're incredibly unproven. It's going to be pretty risky to launch Phase Three without Iron Man 4 to anchor that wave.