It is now confirmed that Iron Man 3 will hit theaters come May 2013. Marvel Studios, Paramount Pictures and Disney announced through a Press Release that it will be released by May 3, 2013. Reports suggest that Disney has been given the distribution and marketing rights of the expected film.

This will herald Robert Downey Jr’s return as Iron Man in the third film, come May 2013.

It might be a long wait but this has not missed the attention of Marvel. Marvel plans to release a good deal of superhero genre movies that will cover action lovers in the interim period.

One of these is Avengers also Disney distributed and slated to hit the theaters by May 4, 2012. However, before this time, Paramount would have released Thor by May 6 2011 as Captain American follows closely on July 2011, making a debut. Rumors also abound on a Black Widow film that could feature Scarlett Johansson.

As much as nothing is yet to be set, all actors had signed deals for Iron Man 2 on a multi-picture basis, thus Disney and Marvel could choose the ones they want to work with again.

While Jon Favreau is expected to direct the third Iron Man, he was quoted as saying that in case he makes a comeback, he would wish Mandarin would be the center villain for the film.

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