Robert Downey Jr. Has An End Date In Mind For Playing IRON MAN

Robert Downey Jr. Has An End Date In Mind For Playing IRON MAN

Although he's expected (but apparently not contracted?) to appear at least one more time as Tony Stark in The Avengers sequel, the actor says he is looking forward to retiring the red and gold armor at some point soon so he can focus on other projects.

News
By MarkCassidy - Apr 16, 2013 07:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Iron Man
Source: GQ

For many fans Robert Downey Jr. IS Tony Stark. Since his first outing as the arrogant billionaire turned superhero in the first Iron Man movie, through a disappointing sequel (RDJ was no less awesome) and arguably stealing the show in The Avengers, the actor has come to define the big screen version of the character. Now he's set to armor up again for Iron Man 3, and we assume he'll be back for the Avengers sequel..but then? Downey Jr. has spoken before about moving on from playing the character, but in a recent interview with GQ he really sounds like he's considering saying goodbye to Tony Stark for good.



He brings up an injury he sustained while shooting Iron Man 3 -- a wire jump he'd successfully completed many times before which resulted in him blowing out his ankle. "It got me thinking about how big the message from your cosmic sponsor needs to be before you pick it up," he says "How many genre movies can I do? How many follow-ups to a successful follow-up are actually fun?" He continues. "I come from a family of very innovative writers and directors and actors and artists, and the circle of friends they were in were the people I heard having pun-offs playing poker at two in the morning, and it was just the most comforting aspect of my childhood. So there's this kind of legacy of souls from what I consider to be a very particular time in entertainment, and I'm sensing a return to that." When quizzed a little further, Downey Jr. then hints that the end may come in about three years when he turns 50, but nothing is for certain. "I don't know. I don't know. Right now I don't have a contract to do anything, and I did for the last five years."

Be sure to click the link below to check out the interview in full.







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ArthurNumeriano
ArthurNumeriano - 4/16/2013, 7:53 AM
*An
LMB10
LMB10 - 4/16/2013, 7:54 AM
Iron Man 3's the last in his contract, isn't it?
P862010
P862010 - 4/16/2013, 7:58 AM
it'd more so avengers that hold him back look at bale he did stuff like the fighter,rescue dawn,i'm not there between his bat films
R888
R888 - 4/16/2013, 8:00 AM
No please Robert Downey Jr return in Avengers 2 , you are Tony Stark
MrReese
MrReese - 4/16/2013, 8:01 AM
when he dies/if he dies thats gonna make 4 some good cinema.He kicked everything off.
Supes17
Supes17 - 4/16/2013, 8:11 AM
I think it would be amazing if he dies in the Avengers.
He's the one who started it all back in '08.
It would make the film much more powerful.
Few superhero films kill off the main character for good, and Joss Whedon has a habit of killing of major characters and fan favorites.
Orphix
Orphix - 4/16/2013, 8:19 AM
I remember when I first started reading comics in the early 80's Ironman was not Tony Stark at that time. He had 'retired' for a while.

Rhodes had taken over the mantle and for ages I thought Rhodes was the one and only Ironman.

So if Stark retires he has a ready made replacement. It would be nice if it was a retirement rather than being killed off. Would nice to see the short cameo once in awhile.
ComradeGrey
ComradeGrey - 4/16/2013, 8:26 AM
Absolute [frick]ing badass. The Avengers and the rest of the MCU would never have existed without RDJ's powerhouse presence. If they replace him, I hope it's after a full arc has been completed for himself and the other characters so that whoever fills his shoes isn't oing so in RDJ's own house, but the next generation of Marvel films.
Donekin
Donekin - 4/16/2013, 8:27 AM
RDJ's spontaneous speech always sounds like a well crafted and rehearsed script. The guy's brilliant.
Ceejay
Ceejay - 4/16/2013, 8:31 AM
They won't be rebooting Iron Man, there's no point in rebooting a franchise that's so new and successful. If they reboot Iron Man, then they'll have to reboot every Avengers character to fall into continuity, utterly pointless.

What they'll do is try recasting his role just as they did with those crappy 90's Batman films and various James Bond performers. I just really pity the actor who has to fill RDJ's shoes.
HULK2099
HULK2099 - 4/16/2013, 8:31 AM
Please never leave us RDJ !!!!!!!!!!!!! NEVER !!!
YOU ARE IRON MAN
CharlesLord
CharlesLord - 4/16/2013, 8:31 AM
I dont see them killing him off, but I agree with Conrade in that the next generation (theyll have to recast everyone eventually) of marvel films will bring us new actors.
RadicalDuck
RadicalDuck - 4/16/2013, 8:34 AM
I think he'll still be Stark for a few years... in the recent Empire issue he pretty much said he loves doing it and seemed keen to renew his contract. Even so, it'll be bad for him to leave...you could easily argue that the MCU wouldn't have been as successful if he hadn't been part of it.
GizmoEl
GizmoEl - 4/16/2013, 8:35 AM
Even though Captain America is the leader of the Avengers, IronMan/RDJ is their poster boy. I don't think Marvel/Disney want ChrisEvans/CaptainAmerica on the front and center of their campaigns because even though he is absolutely terrific, he can't sell a franchise by himself.

This is why I believe they should try getting Spider-Man. No, he doesn't need to be main part of Avengers, but if they stuck him on their posters, the kids would go crazy and they'd keep breaking a billion at the box office. RDJ made Iron Man a household name. Superman/Batman don't have to worry about things like that. But Marvel and the MCU does. With RDJ leaving in the near future, they need to find another household name to draw people in. I believe tr easiest choice would be AndrewGarfield/Spider-Man.
Tony93
Tony93 - 4/16/2013, 8:36 AM
Sherlock 3 yes!
But c'mon, he doesn't need to do his own stunts anymore, he can still be in avengers 2 and 3 and still be in the suit, he doesn't have to do stunts
HipsterAngelusNY
HipsterAngelusNY - 4/16/2013, 8:37 AM
No more iron mans solo movies but he has 2 be in avengers 2, i have no problem with them killing him off id rather him retire in the MCU have james rhodey be in avengers 2 too help DO NOT REPLACE RDJ HAVE SOME RESPECT HE BASICALLY OWNS THE MCU
ruadh
ruadh - 4/16/2013, 8:39 AM
I love Downey Jr, and I seriously LOVE Iron Man, especially his portrayal of him.

That said, I actually agree with the "kill him off" sentiment. I have always maintained that I would prefer to see Tony Stark's story told all the way to its end. Him retiring, or dying, fine. Not going on and on and on like Bond. I want a cap to his story.

I'd be fine if they do that, and have Rhodey take the reins after. Don't mind at all. It won't be the same in any way, but I don't think it has to be. I'd really rather they took a new Iron Man character in a totally different direction, than try to have someone younger doing an RDJ impression. Rhodey is ideal for that.
Jolt17
Jolt17 - 4/16/2013, 8:40 AM
I think The Avengers sequel will, and should be the end. He's [frick]ing awesome, but he's also getting older. Now, I realize that this may not be exactly that big a problem, as technology might be able to take care of that, and I know he'll physically get a part of his youth back in Iron Man 3 (thanks to that new haircut, yeah), but he's continuously aging, nonetheless. A lot more cover-up will be needed to mask that, while his aging was already apparent in The Avengers. Or maybe, the make-up/hairdo department for him in that movie just needs to be fired, but...yeah. Among other things, really, but if he thinks his time is up, then I'm fine with that. The sequel to The Avengers should make a fitting close for his era as Tony Stark, and I believe Whedon can make it a memorable one, if he's really going to leave after that.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 4/16/2013, 8:40 AM
I think if and when it comes down to it he'll just leave for a while. They'll literally show Stark walk off into the sunset..or "kill him off"..but the door will be open for RDJ to return later on. I really can't see them recasting. At this point the MCU is becoming a serialized movie franchise. It'd be like them recasting Walter White on Breaking Bad if Brian Cranston decided he'd had enough.
ruadh
ruadh - 4/16/2013, 8:42 AM
@Thorific & fettastic,

Like a lot of people who grew up in Hollywood, they see the yesteryears as the golden age. In this case, it's when he was a kid. And apparently the vibe in the town, and the focus of the artists, is returning to how it was at that point, at least in his eyes.
Woodkid
Woodkid - 4/16/2013, 8:48 AM
They should either kill him off, with rhodey taking up the mantle of ironman or just have him retire at the end of the avengers 2, so he can cameo as tony stark.... Plus with all the women he used to bed he probably has a son out there to become ironman haha
Negaduck
Negaduck - 4/16/2013, 8:48 AM
I'm sure he will appear in the next 2 Avengers films. That will complete a full cycle for both franchises.
JorL5150
JorL5150 - 4/16/2013, 8:50 AM
when he's too rickety to do it, he'll do voiceovers for motion capture versions of himself.
Jolt17
Jolt17 - 4/16/2013, 8:52 AM
After all, they're going to (and will have to eventually, anyway) do the Bond cycle for all of the actors, yes? I think that transition can be a very interesting stage to follow.

I vote Luke Evans for the next Tony Stark.
datNAMEtho
datNAMEtho - 4/16/2013, 8:53 AM
I think he should at least finish of Avengers2 and 3, maybe a fourth Iron Man inbetween but that'd be it.
JoshBerger
JoshBerger - 4/16/2013, 8:54 AM
I don't think he knew how successful the movie was going to be back when he decided to play the character, but he knew that if the movie was succesful he was going to have to be Stark for quite some time. Besides, thanks to these movies he's now employed, hi didn't have a carreer before that. If it hadn't been for IM he wouldn't even have been considered for Sherlock Holmes and the part would have probably landed on Jude Law( Watson in the movies).
Ok I'm hungover,buh bye now.
jessepostal
jessepostal - 4/16/2013, 8:55 AM
Get out while people love you and leave them wanting more, he knows how to become a legend.
JoeMomma29
JoeMomma29 - 4/16/2013, 8:56 AM
No worries Gusto will fill in!

ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 4/16/2013, 8:57 AM
I can't imagine an Iron Man without RDJ. But I guess at some point it's gonna happen.

If we get another Stark, I hope it's a good young actor, that way we won't have to go through another change for at least another 10+ years.

ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 4/16/2013, 8:58 AM
@Thorific Tom Cruise can play Tony Stark. But RDJ is Tony Stark.
McGribble
McGribble - 4/16/2013, 8:58 AM
It will be a sad day for comic book fans when he hangs up the arc reactor...
ultimatemarvelfan
ultimatemarvelfan - 4/16/2013, 9:00 AM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RDJ = IRON MAN
thunderforce
thunderforce - 4/16/2013, 9:01 AM
Why don't they just scan him into a computer and just use his image . I think they are getting closer and closer every day to us not even being able to tell the difference . Then they could pay him and keep making Iron man movies til the cows come home .
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