Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. To Star In Doctor Dolittle

Robert Downey Jr. will be starring as the titular character in a new Doctor Dolittle movie.

Deadline reports the Iron man actor signed on with Universal Pictures for The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle, with Stephen Gaghan directing and rewriting a Tom Shepherd script based on the 1920s children’s books by Hugh Lofting.

It’s reported the Doctor Dolittle movie was in high demand as upwards of seven movie studios all attempted to gain the rights, which included FOX Studios who was responsible for the previous Eddie Murphy films.

It’s noted that Doctor Dolittle will be another good franchise for Robert Downey Jr. with the movie expected to have a budget north of $160 million and already being compared to Disney’s mammoth Beauty and the Beast. Filming is expected to begin on Doctor Dolittle after Robert Downey Jr. is done with The Avengers: Infinity War movies for Marvel Studios.

Up next for Robert Downey Jr. is Spider-Man: Homecoming, out this July, with The Avengers: Infinity War hitting next May. Also in the cards for RDJ is Sherlock Holmes 3 and an untitled John Brinkley biopic.

Doctor Dolittle follows the adventures of a vet who can talk to animals.