While it is not really a spoiler, during the end credits of Iron Man 3, the words “Tony Stark Will Return” was written across the screen. A Tony Stark return is a huge bit of news for people worried that Robert Downey Jr.’s contract has come to an end with this third movie.
After you see Iron Man 3 (our review will be live tomorrow morning), you will want more and this is a good hint that more should come. Without giving away any more spoilers, things happen in the movie that allows me to believe that Robert Downey Jr. can continue playing Tony Stark however long he wants to, regardless of age.
With that said, as Iron Man 3 rolls out into theaters, Robert Downey Jr. himself said he is negotiating with Marvel right now for more movies. While I don’t know if an Iron Man 4 is needed right now, I do want a Tony Stark return, if only for future Avengers movies. Now, I would love more Iron Man movies, especially if Shane Black returns as director, but they aren’t really needed right now.
The Iron Man trilogy is a complete story. The first movie is his origin, the second shows him as an arrogant hero, The Avengers allows him to figure out he isn’t everything he thought he was, and Iron Man 3 is the perfect conclusion to that story. It is a perfect finale for his character’s journey and if there is an Iron Man 4, it would need to start a new journey because he is no longer the same character we started out with.
There are a ton of great characters in the Marvel Universe they can turn to, and a break from Iron Man until Avengers 2 would only make the anticipation of a Tony Stark return greater.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
