Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man injury delays production

CBC News

Posted: Aug 17, 2012 11:54 AM ET

Last Updated: Aug 17, 2012 11:48 AM ET

Robert Downey Jr. stars as billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, in the blockbuster film franchise. (Zade Rosenthal/Paramount Pictures/Associated Press)

Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. suffered a minor on-set injury that will briefly delay production on the superhero sequel, Marvel Studios has announced.

The 47-year-old actor, now best known for his portrayal of the billionaire playboy, industrialist, engineer and superhero in the Iron Man and Avengers films, injured his ankle while performing a stunt during filming of Iron Man 3 in Wilmington, N.C.

"There will be a short delay in the production schedule while he recuperates," Marvel added in a statement issued Thursday.

Directed by Shane Black, the upcoming film reunites Downey Jr. with his series co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Jon Favreau, who also directed the first two movies in the blockbuster series.

Newcomers for the third instalment, which is partially set in China, include actors Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley.

After the first two films brought in a total of $1.2 billion US, there are high hopes for Iron Man 3, slated for release in May 2013.

This week, Marvel also revealed that the follow-up to The Avengers is slated for theatrical release on May 1, 2015.

The Avengers, which blends and expands the tales of superheroes Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and Captain America, has been a massive hit this summer, grossing approximately $1.5 billion US at the worldwide box office.

Joss Whedon will return to write and direct the sequel.

Before then, there are also sequels to the individual Thor (Nov. 2013) and Captain America (April 2014) film franchises set to hit theatres.

With files from The Associated Press

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