First it was rumored, now Deadline is saying that it’s all but final: Shane Black will direct Iron Man 3 for Marvel Studios with release date of May 3, 2013.

Source: Deadline

When news leaked out that Marvel was meeting with several directors including Shane, fanboys approved. So they should exult now that negotiations are wrapping up with Black’s agency WME and manager David Greenblatt’s GreenLit Creative.

Obviously Marvel’s first pick would be to have Jon Favreau return to finish off a triology of Iron Man films, but since he’s decided to instead make the Magic Kingdom movie for Marvel’s owners we get someone equally exciting to helm the next film.

I like this idea as Shane and Robert Downey have a history together, and that hopefully translates the chemistry on par that Downey had with Favreau in the previous installments. I’m not quite sure what Marvel has planned for the 3rd movie as it’s currently being seen as a spiritual sequel to the upcoming Avengers movie. Lots of speculation floating around right now and I think this first hard fact is a great place to lay a foundation.