andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Robert Downey Jr. has signed a deal with Marvel Studios that will have him playing Tony Stark and his alter ego in two more Iron Man films. According to E! Online, Downey will also star as Tony Stark in the upcoming film The Avengers, featuring an all-star cast of Marvel superheroes.

The first Iron Man earned close to $580 million worldwide, along with mostly positive reviews.

The tentative release date for the first sequel is May 7, 2010, and July 15, 2011 for The Avengers film.

In his upcoming film The Soloist Downey plays a journalist who tries to helps a schizophrenic homeless musician (Jamie Foxx) from Skid Row, Los Angeles accomplish his dream of playing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Downey was recently in the summer hit Tropic Thunder along with Ben Stiller and Jack Black, and is currently in London shooting Sherlock Holmes, costarring Jude Law and Rachel McAdams. The flick will be directed by Guy Ritchie.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. has defended disgraced actor MEL GIBSON following his anti-Semitic rant during an arrest for drink-driving last year, arguing nobody’s perfect.

Downey Jr, who co-starred with Gibson in 1990’s AIR AMERICA, believes the fallen LETHAL WEAPON star should be forgiven for his drunken outburst.

Gibson was stopped on 28 July (06) in Malibu, California for speeding and on suspicion of drunk-driving when he launched into an anti-Semitic tirade.

However, Downey Jr., whose father is Jewish, believes Gibson intended no real harm and deserves to be forgiven for his outburst, reports PageSix.com.

He says, “What occurred, in my estimation, was that somebody was caught in the act of being an imperfect human being.”

And the former ALLY McBEAL star also pokes fun at the kind of people living in Los Angeles.

He adds, “I really didn’t know that we had eight million morally sound people in this town. Wow, I really didn’t know that. I guess I’ve been dining at the Ivy with, like, living saints.”

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After the gala premiere of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the stars of the film headed to Pur Nightclub for Time Magazine’s official after-party.

Canadian musician Sarah Slean entertained the film’s cast members, including Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan.

Downey Jr. arrived with his new bride, producer Susan Levin. The couple wed late last month in New York.

When asked by andPOP what the best part of married life is so far, Downey Jr. said, “doing whatever she says to do.”

Kilmer gushed over the Toronto Film Fest, now in its 30th year.

“It doesn’t feel competitive,” he said. “Audiences take a great pleasure in the film itself.”

As for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, scheduled to open in October, Kilmer has high hopes.

“People are already talking about a sequel.”