There Will Be No Iron Man 4

It was just last year that Robert Downey Jr. signed a contract extension with Marvel Studios, confirming him for appearances in both “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” and the inevitable “Avengers 3,” but one title that was left out of all the talks was any plans for “Iron Man 4.”

Many took this as a sign that the number of Tony Stark solo films would be ending at three – and today new quotes have arrived that pretty much confirm that speculation.

“There isn’t one in the pipe. No, there’s no plan for a fourth ‘Iron Man.’”

That was the rather blunt response that Downey Jr. gave to Variety recently when asked about the potential future of the successful comic book franchise.

The actor is currently up at the Toronto International Film Festival promoting his new movie “The Judge,” which is the actor’s first dramatic film since 2009’s “The Soloist.”

Anyone who is in any way familiar with the history of contract talks between Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel shouldn’t be too surprised that the star’s stay as Tony Stark may not extend past “The Avengers 3.”

As, statistically, the biggest draw in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Downey Jr. has long had an upper hand in negotiations with the company – to the point where he even got them to pay him $50 million for his work in “The Avengers” – a figure that he himself has confirmed.

Furthermore, while Downey Jr. was undoubtedly an extremely important player in the establishment of Marvel Studios as a blockbuster success, the company has been doing just fine making movies without him recently.

James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” and Anthony Russo’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” currently stand as the two biggest domestic releases of the year, and both achieved their positions without Iron Man’s presence.

So, if “Iron Man 4” isn’t part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Three plans – what projects are coming up?

In addition to Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man,” the Russos’ “Captain America 3,” and Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy 2,” they are also working on seven untitled projects that will be coming out between now and 2019 – three of which are all but confirmed to be “Doctor Strange,” “Thor 3,” and “The Avengers 3.”

Will Iron Man’s presence be missed, or can Marvel move on without him? This is all veiled in uncertainty, and some time might pass until we hear any news about Iron Man.