Iron Man 4 Rumors: Robert Downey Jr. To Work With Mel Gibson? Actor Thrilled To Have Him Direct The Film! He Says, ‘That Movie Would Be Bananas’

The "Iron Man 4" rumors will never end unless Robert Downey Jr. or Marvel Studios president Kevin Feig officially announces that there won't be any sequel anymore. A few weeks ago, the 49-year old actor revealed that there are no plans for a fourth installment, which disappointed many of his fans.

However, there were also rumors that it may push through but with a different lead star. One theory is that Harley, who was played by Ty Simpkins in "Iron Man 3", may replace Tony Stark. Since he is still too young, we may see him grow up in the fourth installment, but no actor yet was named to take that role.

That will be interesting to watch, but many viewers still want to see Robert Downey Jr. reprise his role as Tony Stark. During an interview with Deadline (via Comic Book Resources), the actor talked about the future of his character and tried to clear out some "Iron Man 4" rumors.

Downey said, "That's all being talked about on a bunch of different levels right now." He explained, "To me, it comes down to what's the half-life of people enjoying a character? It's different on TV, where you expect the longevity over seasons while movies get a two- or three-year break."

He continued, "Marvel keeps stepping up its game, and I appreciate the way Kevin Feige and all the creatives there think. They are as in the creative wheelhouse as any great studio has been at any point. So it becomes a matter of, at what point do I cease to be an asset to what they're doing, and at what point do I feel I am spending so much time either shooting or promoting these films that I'm not actually able to get off the beachhead and do the kind of other stuff that is good for all of us. Each one of those movies is spread over two years and some people fit other things in."

Robert Downey Jr. also pointed out that age is a factor when doing a movie. He said, "But I'm not 42, I'm turning 50...and now I'll have two small kids instead of one grown one, and eight Team Downey projects with people who are imagining I'm not just spending Warner Bros' money out of vanity, but that I'm taking it seriously. It all has become this thing that has to be figured out. It has come to a head, right now, where the points of departure will be."

I'm sure that got you all a bit sad knowing that Robert Downey Jr. has to say goodbye to being Iron Man someday. But maybe we will see him in another sequel if it will be directed by his good friend Mel Gibson. The actor was thrilled about that idea and said, "Why not?" He added, "That movie would be bananas."

What do you think of the latest "Iron Man 4" rumors about Mel Gibson directing the movie?