Robert Downey, Jr. To Invade ‘Captain America 3’? It’ll Be A Civil War!

Robert Downey Jr. is in talks to join the next Captain America film, and as Variety reports, Marvel’s grand plan is to explore the popular “Civil War” storyline from 2006. In the comics, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark took sides when the US Government tried to force heroes to register their powers and act as weapons for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the American Government. Captain America took to the side on freedom and was against the Superhero Registration Act while Tony sided with the federal government. The rift caused heroes to choose sides and fight each other. Chaos ensued and heroes died. The event changed the status quo of the Marvel Comic Universe for years.

While the comic book had over 60 years worth of characters and stories to draw from for the Civil War story, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is only six years old, and there are only nine heroes in existence at present, most of them Avengers. Does Marvel have plans to add to that number between now and the release of Captain America 3, which is scheduled for May of 2016? Will Avengers: Age of Ultron begin to lay the foundation for the eventual shift in superhuman priorities? There are so many questions and so few answers. What is known is that Joe and Anthony Russo are returning to direct Captain America 3, and the film will once again be written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who wrote this past summer’s hit, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Robert Downey Jr. has hinted heavily, according to the Huffington Post, that he would return as Iron Man on a most recent press junket for his new film, The Judge. While he never officially confirmed an Iron Man 4, though, as The Inquisitr reported, during an appearance on Ellen, he joked about it. Downey, Jr. then went on David Letterman and denied it. His playful hinting now makes more sense as he will reprise his role after next summer’s Avengers sequel, but this time as an adversary to Captain America.

In the original story in Variety, the deal to add Downey Jr. to the cast of Captain America 3 almost fell through.

“Originally, Marvel wanted to hire Downey for a small role, which would have required just three weeks of work. But Downey wanted Stark to have a more substantial role in the film’s plot, which would give him more screen time and naturally a bigger payday. This angered Marvel Entertainment chief Ike Perlmutter, who ordered the screenwriters to write Iron Man out of the script entirely, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.”

Luckily, Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios was able to calm both sides and come to an agreement. No terms were released and the deal may not be finalized, but as with all things in the mega-popular and mega-successful comic book movie world, a tiny bit of movement on development is worth all the press.

Robert Downey Jr., will be seen next summer in Avengers: Age of Ultron and in 2016 in Captain America 3 with Chris Evans. Are you excited that Marvel Studios is bringing the Civil War storyline to the big screen? Sound off below.

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