'Iron Man 4' rumors: Ty Simpkins to be the new iron-clad superhero?

(Facebook/Ty Simpkins)Rumors claim that Marvel is waiting for Ty Simpkins to turn 17 or 18 before making him the new Iron Man.

Questions on whether Robert Downey Jr. will still star in a fourth standalone "Iron Man" movie continue to baffle its fans. However, the latest reports claim that the 51-year-old actor will no longer don the iron-suit for "Iron Man 4" as he will be replaced by the actor who played his sidekick in "Iron Man 3": Ty Simpkins.

There is no denying that "Iron Man 4" is one of the most-talked-about movies despite the lack of Marvel's confirmation whether it will be producing one. While there are rumors saying that the studio is, indeed, producing one, there are no solid reports that can validate such claims.

Apart from the uncertainty on the status of "Iron Man 4," one of the most common questions asked by the fans of the superhero is whether Downey Jr. will still top-bill the movie or not. However, if the latest reports are to be believed, there is a dim chance for the actor to star in another solo "Iron Man" film as, allegedly, he will be replaced by Simpkins, the child actor then who played the role of Harley Keener in "Iron Man 3" and was Tony Stark/Iron Man's sidekick.

This is not the first time for Simpkins to be rumored to be the next Iron Man. In fact, such rumors have been around for more than a year already. While it's true that Simpkins was just a kid in "Iron Man 3," rumors claim that Marvel is waiting for him to grow up before producing "Iron Man 4." As Simpkins is only 15 years old, it is said that Marvel will produce "Iron Man 4" when he is already around 17 or 18 years old.

Apart from the pricey talent fee, it is also said that one of the reasons why Marvel is not keen on getting Downey Jr. for "Iron Man 4" is because of his age. As the actor is already 51, he may be too old to play the role once the movie enters production. After all, it is said that Tony Stark/Iron Man should be between 20 and 30 years old.

In an interview with Kevin Feige last October, the Marvel big boss admitted that he has thought about replacing the actors who play some of the Marvel superheroes, including Tony Stark/Iron Man. However, fans need not worry as Feige is not acting on it anytime, soon.

"I think most of these characters that are iconic, like (James) Bond, like Batman, like Spider-Man, like Iron Man, someday will be portrayed by different actors. The good news right now is I don't have to think about that for a long time. We have storylines for this cast for many years to come," Feige told Toronto Sun.

Does it mean that Downey Jr. will still star in another solo "Iron Man" movie?

Fans can only wait and see.

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