Iron Man 3 has a Release Date!

The Hollywood Reporter’s Heatvision Blog is reporting that Disney has struck a deal with Paramount to release “The Avengers” and “Iron Man 3” and they have established a date for the release of the third Iron Man film.

May 3, 2013 is the date you need to write in your calendars.

Though they’ll be paying Paramount a boatload of cash for the right to distribute these films, it makes a lot of sense for Disney, since they own Marvel.  It must really bite at them to see another film company profiting so handsomely from the release of what is now their intellectual property.

Despite the deal, Paramount will still be distributing Captain America and Thor.

This shows a lot about how grown up Paramount and Disney can be and makes me wonder why Fox  and Sony won’t play ball.  It would be to all of our benefit to see Marvel Studios handling all of the other Marvel properties and they can build up a single movie universe out of it (like the fans want). I mean, I would love to see Peter swing by the Baxter Building and get advice from Johnny Storm, and see Nick Fury face off against the Punisher, and Charles Xavier, Reed Richards and Tony Stark hanging out with Dr. Strange and casting the Hulk into space, or whatever.

Fox, Sony, and Lionsgate could still make a killing with their licenses, but give the Marvel movies a life of their own and the potential to be greater than they are.

Click here to read the full report from The Hollywood Reporter.

What do you guys think?  Would it be better for Marvel to have control of all of their properties back?  What would you like to see on film if it could happen?