10 Awesome-Sounding Sequels That Will Never Happen
2. Iron Man 4
Iron Man has always been the focal point of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only is the character responsible for the hit movie that launched the MCU, but Robert Downey Jr's smooth-talking characterization of Tony Stark is one of the most popular characters in modern cinema.
It can't be a coincidence that he is the only actor to appear in all four of the studio's highest-grossing movies (apart from Paul Bettany, but that doesn't really count) and was featured heavily in the marketing campaign for Spider-Man: Homecoming. In the MCU, Iron Man = box office.
Of course, Downey Jr. knows this as well. His original contract expired after Iron Man 3, and the actor has renegotiated several hefty pay rises to reprise his signature role. After being paid $500,000 for the first Iron Man, by the time Avengers 4 (his ninth major outing as the character) rolls around he will reportedly have earned upwards of $200m from Marvel Studios.
Even though there are countless classic Iron Man stories that could be told on the big screen and audiences seemingly can't get enough of the character, the reason that we will never see a fourth standalone feature is a simple one; money.
As cynical as it sounds, why would Robert Downey Jr. see the need to commit to leading his own solo movie when he can pocket tens of millions of dollars for showing up on set for a couple of weeks and improvise a few quips before laughing all the way to the bank?