'Iron Man 4' News: Robert Downy Jr. Would Agree if Mel Gibson Can Direct The Film

By Matt Lloyd Oct 06, 2014 03:49 PM EDT

Mel Gibson Robert Downey Jr. — (Photo : Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. )

'Iron Man 4' News: Robert Downy Jr. Would Agree if Mel Gibson Can Direct The Film

Until now, Robert Downey Jr. hasn't seemed open to the idea of signing on for Iron Man 4. However, the 49-year-old actor might have a change of heart on one condition, if his close friend Mel Gibson direct the new super hero movie.

"[Mel] has changed so much," Robert shared to Deadline over the weekend. "Nobody should make a case for somebody who just wants forgiveness but hasn't changed, but he's a fundamentally different guy. I think it was just the very worst aspects of somebody's psyche being treated as though they were the blanket statement about a person. But honestly we are talking about a competitive business and it all comes down to this: because he is so gifted as a story teller and a director, I don't know that he requires some sort of mass forgiveness."

Robert added, "He has changed, but at the same time he's still Mel. He and I are so similar in so many ways. He really, honestly is the first to admit his character defects and also is just a great, great collaborative guy. I always say too that if you want to judge a man or a woman then look at their kids. He has the healthiest, happiest, most productive kids you could ever meet or know, and I'm fortunate to be friendly with several of them. He did a lot right, and there's stuff he taught me about parenting that didn't sink in at the time but have proven to be true."

The first three 'Iron Man' movies brought in a collective $2.4 billion worldwide.

Downey has starred in six movies that have each grossed over $500 million at the box office worldwide. Two of those films, The Avengers and Iron Man 3, each earned over $1 billion. Downey topped the Forbes list of Hollywood's highest-paid actors with an estimated $75 million in earnings between June 2012 and June 2013.

Guardians of the Galaxy has emerged as a massive surprise hit to become the highest-grossing movie of the year. So Marvel is riding high on that wave right now.

As of now, here is the confirmed upcoming Marvel movie schedule:

May 1, 2015 - "Avengers: Age of Ultron"
July 17, 2015 - "Ant-Man"
May 6, 2016 - "Captain America 3″
July 8, 2016 - Unconfirmed (But rumored to be "Doctor Strange")
May 5, 2017 - Unconfirmed
July 27, 2017 - "Guardians of the Galaxy 2″
November 3, 2017 - Unconfirmed
May 4, 2018 - Unconfirmed
July 6, 2018 - Unconfirmed
November 2, 2018 - Unconfirmed
May 3, 2019 - Unconfirmed