'Iron Man 4' release date, update, news: Is Robert Downey Jr. reprising role?

It's been three years already since the last "Iron Man" film. Fans are now wondering if it will ever have another sequel since Marvel has been particularly quiet about "Iron Man 4." But the bigger question is if Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role as the brash but brilliant industrialist Tony Stark.

According to reports, there's a chance that Downey will no longer return to play the superhero role due to other commitments. It's said that the actor will be back in "Sherlock Holmes 3" and this led to speculations saying that Downey chose to do the private detective film over the next robot superhero installment.

Reports said that Downey will start filming for "Sherlock Holmes 3" after he is done shooting the upcoming "Avengers: Infinity War" movie. Apparently, his schedule is very packed, suggesting that "Iron Man 4" is not his top priority.

Rumor also has it that the reason why Downey might not reprise the role is because of a lack of mutual consensus between the "Avengers" actor and the producer. It's said that the two parties did not agree in terms of his salary. But then again, Downey may just be retiring from the role because of his age and overall condition. After all, "Iron Man 4" is not expected to debut any time soon.

It's also noted that Marvel's Phase 3 movie lineup does not include any solo film with Downey. So far, the confirmed films include "Ant-Man and the Wasp" and "Black Panther," which are both scheduled for release sometime in 2018. Moreover, Marvel is expected to announce three more movies for 2020. Nothing is sure yet but "Iron Man 4" could be part of the list.

Reports also suggested that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will follow the comic book storylines for the fourth installment. If it does, the film could be featuring a young girl named Riri Williams. As of now, nothing is confirmed or official yet so it's best to take these rumors with a grain of salt.