Culture

Robert Downey Jr. Joins 'Avengers' Cast

by Jarrett Martineau | October 29, 2008 at 07:53 am

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Marvel Studio's planned 'Avengers' film is going ahead and Robert Downey Jr. has confirmed that he will be reprising his role as Iron Man.

Director Jon Favreau is also on board, although he will be acting as executive producer on the picture.

Marvel Studios announced Tuesday that the "Iron Man" tandem of star Robert Downey Jr. and (sic) flmmaker Jon Favreau will assemble for the "Avengers" film, although the role announced for Favreau is that of executive producer, not director.

Other cast members rumoured to suit up for the superhero action flick include Ed Norton as the Hulk and Don Cheadle (having recently replaced Terrence Howard) as War Machine.

You can see all of this leading up to some future Comic-Con International panel that will have Downey sitting next to at least two other Oscar-nominated actors: Edward Norton, who played the Hulk this summer and is, by all appearances, on board for more action, as well as Don Cheadle, who will pick up the role of Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes in the "Iron Man" franchise. The Marvel announcement today made his addition to the cast official and made a point to announce that he would be in the "Avengers" film as well.

It's not clear yet who will be playing Thor, the Wasp or Ant-Man in the film, the other founding members from the Marvel Comics hero team

So that leaves Thor, Captain America, and many more from the Avengers pantheon still up for grabs.

It will be interesting to see which characters are included in the film and, of course, who will be cast to portray them.

There's also the question of who will play Captain America (the most famous Avenger, but one who didn't show up until issue No. 4 in the comics) in the hero's solo film as well as the Avengers project that will follow it into theaters in 2011, if all goes as planned.