Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. has reportedly left the upcoming sci-fi Western movie Cowboys & Aliens to work out a deal on a potential Sherlock Holmes sequel, according to a reported published Monday, January 11 in The Los Angeles Times.  However, director Jon Favreau, who worked previously with Downey, Jr. on Iron Man, will remain on board for the adaptation of the 2006 graphic novel.

The production of Cowboys & Aliens is expected to begin later this year, and is slated for a summer 2011 release.  The story focuses on Zeke Jackson (the character Downey was set to portray), a gunslinger in the mid-19th century who leads a group of cowboys and Apache Indians against an alien invasion in Arizona. 

However, Downey Jr.’s involvement with Cowboys & Aliens, while rumored to be true as recently as this fall, was never actually confirmed.  The actor told MTV News in April that his involvement was uncertain.  While the Sherlock Holmes sequel isn’t confirmed as of yet, either, it certainly looks good.  The film, which opened on Christmas Day, is on its way to the $300 million mark, and Downey, Jr. has been nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor. 

The screenplay for Cowboys & Aliens was written by Star Trek and Transformers writers  Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and Lost producer Damon Lindelof, and reportedly steers away from the storyline used in the graphic novel.  It also may be filmed in 3D, after the overwhelming success of James Cameron’s recent movie Avator.

Written by: Karen Benardello