Robert Downey Jr. signs on to play Iron Man in next two The Avengers sequels!

Rest easy, fanboys and girls, Robert Downey Jr. is still Iron Man.

The actor has just signed on to play the armored billionaire playboy for the next two THE AVENGERS films. I can sense a collective sigh of relief from across the interwebs already. Although the latest entry in the solo franchise, IRON MAN 3, seemed to divide audiences, one thing remained certain: Downey Jr. IS made for Iron Man. Having been the ambassador of the burgeoning Marvel Cinematic Universe, Downey Jr. has been committed to the role since 2008’s IRON MAN, carrying the torch for the franchise and reigniting his own career at the same time.

What does this mean for another solo film? It’s unclear, but with THE AVENGERS 3 yet to even have an announced release date (but speculatively sometime in 2018 based on the current course of the “phase” model), Downey Jr. is locked into the role for at least the next 5-6 years, meaning that if a solo film DID come up, you can bet that it would be him in the role.

Here’s the press release from Marvel:

Under the two-picture agreement, Downey will star as Tony Stark/Iron Man in “Marvel’s The Avengers 2” and “Marvel’s The Avengers 3.” Downey is represented at CAA by Bryan Lourd, Jim Toth and Matt Leaf and by his attorneys Tom Hansen and Stewart Brookman of the firm Hansen Jacobson.

Downey, Jr.’s last two Marvel films, 2012’s “Marvel’s The Avengers” and this year’s “Iron Man 3,” rank as two of the top five grossing films of all time, collectively earning over $2.7 billion worldwide to date.

“Marvel’s The Avengers 2” is being written and directed by Joss Whedon. Featuring favorites from the first Avengers film and new Marvel characters never before seen on the big screen, “Marvel’s The Avengers 2” is slated to begin production in March 2014 and open in theaters May 1, 2015.

What do you think, gang? Relieved? Disappointed?