Robert Downey Jr. Speaks Out on Possible Iron Man 4 Return

Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) served as the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the better part of 12 years from 2008’s Iron Man all the way through until Avengers: Endgame‘s release in 2019. Even though the character appeared in his own trilogy and four Avengers films before sacrificing himself for the greater good of the universe, fans are still holding out hope for a potential return at one point or another. After all, Marvel Studios has been busy of late telling stories across the franchise’s multiverse.

Now, Downey himself touched on a potential return in only a way he could—by masterfully skirting the question entirely while deflecting with a joke. On the red carpet premiere for Downey’s Dream Cars, Downey was told that Tom Cruise was anxious to get the ball rolling on a sequel to Tropic Thunder. The interviewer with extratv then snuck in a question about a fourth Iron Man flick.

“Does he want to do that?!” Downey joked about his friend Tom Cruise. “Tom, don’t take it!”

Will there ever be an Iron Man 4?

Given Marvel Studios has largely told the stories it set out to tell with the original Avengers, it’s unlikely Downey’s Iron Man will return in any major manner. As recently as 2019, Iron Man helmer Jon Favreau confirmed he, Downey, or Marvel haven’t conversed about a fourth film in the franchise.

“We haven’t talked about four,” Favreau said of himself and Downey. “I’ve talked to [Marvel Studios president] Kevin [Feige] about it to see what they’re up to, but we definitely love working together and we love these characters. We talk about what it would be, and we always joke about the freak storyline which is the Happy Hogan storyline when he turns into a Hulk-like character. We joke about that. No plans, as of yet.”

“I mean, nowadays who knows with all the different platforms and the streaming service,” he added. “I’m part of the new Disney streaming service. All of these new technologies are, new platforms are emerging and all sorts of really cool… It’s not like network television or not like blockbuster films where everybody has to be, everything has to be made for all audiences. Now you could make specific material and content for specific groups.”

Avengers: Secret Wars is currently set to be released on May 7, 2027 while the three Iron Man films are streaming now on Disney+.