Robert Downey Jr. is set to make an appearance on "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as the technology genius himself, Tony Stark. But recent reports say that the billionaire philanthropist may meet his end in the upcoming film.

Of course, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is slated for a 2017 premiere and the "Avengers: Infinity War" films will debut well after that. And since Stark is set to appear in the "Infinity War" films, then it may not be true that his character will get killed off in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

However, there are some speculations that he may die in "Iron Man 4," which is also rumored to be the last in the "Iron Man" franchise. There are some reports that state that a replacement will be brought in to take over the Iron Man suit. It was previously reported that Riri Williams, a 15-year-old MIT genius who reverse engineered Stark's suit, has been introduced in the Marvel comics. And there has been some talk that Riri may be replacing the superhero playboy.

As for who will play Riri, it has been rumored that Nathalie Emmanuel, who is known for playing Missandei on HBO's "Game of Thrones," may be the new Iron Man — or woman. Even though Riri Williams is based on Disney Channel star Skai Jackson, Emmanuel would also fit the role well.

However, it has been pointed out that Riri is a character in the comic books, which may not necessarily be adapted in the Marvel movies. Since Marvel Studios and Marvel Comics are two separate entities, there is a chance that a replacement will not happen. Besides, it has been witnessed time and again that the films don't always stick to the source material.

But Downey Jr. definitely cannot play Stark forever. And when the time comes for him to hang up his suit, many fans will undoubtedly sob. Since these are just rumors, though, fans should take this news with a grain of salt.