Robert Downey Jr. was injured on the set of "Iron Man 3," the blockbuster set to be released next year in May. The actor's injury has caused production on the film to be "slightly delayed," but Marvel Studios did not mention any delay in the film's release.

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  (PHOTO:REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)
  Actor Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan attend the premiere of "The Hangover Part II" at Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California May 19, 2011. The movie opens in the U.S. on May 26.

Robert Downey Jr. was injured on the set in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he apparently hurt his ankle while doing his own stunts. The movie only began production in May, but Marvel Studios doesn't anticipate that big of a speed bump while the 47-year-old actor heals.

"Robert Downey Jr. sustained an ankle injury on the set of 'Iron Man 3' in Wilmington, North Carolina while performing a stunt. There will be a short delay in the production schedule while he recuperates," the studio said in a statement Wednesday.

Though the accident is unfortunate, Downey Jr. did previously reveal that he planned to push his limits on the third installation of the "Iron Man" series. The movies have been immensely popular, far out-grossing his "Avengers" counterparts' films, so the Hollywood star wants to give audiences something new.

"I feel like I don't know where you go after 'Iron Man 3.' Leave it all on the field, you know?" he previously told Entertainment Weekly.

"We realized at the beginning of 'Iron Man 2,' he's dying and he goes and has a party, so some [fans] didn't like him," Downey was quoted by MTV.com. There's a way to enjoy all that shadowy stuff. So we kept thinking about, What is it like if this guy is in this country? Where else could he go?"

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Filmmakers agree with Downey's attitude. Shane Black mentioned Downey's take-no-prisoners stance at Comic-Con earlier this year, reiterating how important it is to "Iron Man 3."

"Robert refers to it as leaving it all on the field. That's what we're aiming to do," Black said.

Although the total plot of "Iron Man 3" has not yet been revealed, but some of the villains may have. The Mandarin, rumored to be played by Ben Kingsley, could appear in the film; the main villain is reported to be geneticist Aldrich Killiam, played by Guy Pearce, according to Spinoff Online.

A picture of various Iron Man armors has also surfaced from the set, leading comic book fans to think the next film will deal with the Extremis story arc. In this arc, Killiam creates a team of super-powered bad guys with something similar to the Captain America serum.

Iron Man 3 Behind the Scenes at Comic Con