'Iron Man 4' Movie News: Next Appearance By The Hero Could Be As Part Of Another Superhero's Film, Possibly Eliminate The Individual Franchise [VIDEO]

While the Iron Man films have become one of Marvel's staple franchises, a changing field and fans shown interest in other properties could shift the paradigm to merging franchising rather than just rehashing old standalone movies.

'Iron Man 4' Rumors: Robert Downey Jr Questions Leaving Tony Stark Behind, Will Marvel Studios Retain The Fan Favorite? [VIDEO]

Robert Downey Jr. has already told Entertainment Weekly that he isn't too keen on completely leaving Iron Man as the hero offers him a fun getaway and the opportunity to rake in a ton of cash, more than just about anyone else in Hollywood. But maybe what is holding the actor back is the prospect of having to come on and completely run another movie?

While faces like Jeff Bridges, Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ben Kingsley have shown up along the way, it isn't those actors that are carrying the movie. The power of Tony Stark is what drives people to the theaters and maybe the name is just enough to sell tickets.

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So with so much uncertainty around other properties like Black Panther, Captain Marvel, or The Inhumans, why not add Iron Man into the mix to help ease the weirdness.

Sure, Guardians of the Galaxy showed that crazy can still make money for Marvel, but they aren't necessarily the most obscure property they have. Plus having Iron Man in the movie would allow Downey Jr. to make his money, still participate in a Marvel property, but allow him to slack off a little and enjoy the ride.

Since the first Iron Man, Stark arguably hasn't even been that great in the standalone movies. It wasn't until The Avengers, when he was allowed to have fun while others did some heavy lifting, did Iron Man become fun again.

Marvel has so many properties in development that working Iron Man into one of them to alleviate some of the lifting could make sense. It allows them to keep their biggest star making money, but also to establish new properties with the freedom that comes with it.