Marvel has just announced that Robert Downey Jr. will play Iron Man in The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3.

The enormity of this announcement is two-fold: not only can we rest easy knowing that Downey Jr. is on board for the highly-anticipated The Avengers sequel, but now we also know that The Avengers 3 is in development.

Robert Downey Jr.’s involvement with The Avengers franchise has been up in the air over the past few months while he entered rocky negotiations with Marvel. In fact, most of the cast had intense negotiations with the studio. A report in May indicated that Robert Downey Jr. was paid $50 million for The Avengers while other cast members were paid $200,000.

Nonetheless, deals appear to be coming together and Marvel seems happy to give the bigger cast members what they want. Without question, Downey Jr. is the most important spoke in The Avengers wheel. His Iron Man franchise has been hugely successful, with the most recent film making over $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Director Joss Whedon told reporters in May that Iron Man would be back, but he wasn’t able to offer a promise or official announcement. He also said that beloved characters Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch would be involved in The Avengers 2.

In making their announcement, Marvel also says that The Avengers 2 casting news will premiere on their website.

Suspiciously absent from today’s deal is any mention of an Iron Man 4. Downey Jr. said while promoting Iron Man 3 that he may consider leaving the franchise, but today’s news of two more movies with Iron Man at the center squashes that muse. Marvel has said a fourth installment is “certainly a possibility.”

The Avengers 2 opens in theaters May 1, 2015. No release date has been set for The Avengers 3, but considering Sony recently announced release dates for The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and 4, a date for the Avengers three-quel can’t be far behind.