'Iron Man 4' news roundup: Casting, release date, and plot rumors

Iron Man as seen in "Avenger: Age of Ultron"Marvel Studios

The "Iron Man" franchise and actor Robert Downey Jr. seem to have been made for each other since each installment released topped the charts. But now, rumors point out that a fourth "Iron Man" movie will not feature Downey as Tony Stark.

"Iron Man 4" rumors started when the actor himself gave hints about it when he appeared as a guest on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," as previously reported in Christian Today. However, the "The Judge" star denied that the movie is in development or will be happening.

That places "Iron Man 4" in the rumored field and has yet to be confirmed, but there are already rumors stating that another actor will be chosen to play Downey Jr.'s Stark.

MovieWeb listed Timothy Olyphant ("Hitman") and Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Revenant") as the top promising actors for the role of the cocky, playboy billionaire.

Both have established their names in the movie industry, and although they don't need to make a comeback, they surely are considered two actors who can play cocky characters with ease.

Timothy Olyphant is one of the actors considered to replace Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man.Instagram/@justifiedfx

On the other hand, Ty Simpkins, the youngster who played Stark's sidekick Harley Keener back in "Iron Man 3," was also considered for the role.

According to Movie News Guide, if there's a fourth "Iron Man" movie, the plot would likely show Stark training the teen to become the next superhero. In addition, filming for the movie is expected to take some time, so Simpkins will be at the right age to play the character by then.

As mentioned, even though there's still no confirmation if a fourth movie will or will not be made, some reports already speculate that it will likely be released in 2020.

At the moment, rumors are just rumors and fans can only hope that they will see Tony Stark again in a new movie, and many would want Downey Jr. to come back to play the role.