Robert Downey Jr will reprise his role as Tony Stark / Iron Man in the next two Avengers films, Marvel has revealed.

Marvel’s The Avengers 2 is scheduled to open on May 1 2015 followed by Marvel’s The Avengers 3 on a date to be announced.

Joss Whedon will write and direct the second instalment and production is set to kick off in March 2014.

The website said the film will feature “favourites from the first Avengers film and new Marvel characters never before seen on the big screen.”