Production on Iron Man 3 is on hold after star Robert Downey Jr. hurt his foot during filming.

Marvel Studios said on Thursday that Downey was injured while performing a stunt and "there will be a short delay in production while he recuperates." The 47-year-old actor is shooting the third installment in the superhero franchise in North Carolina.

Iron Man 3 is set for release next summer. Downey plays billionaire playboy Tony Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow is his love, Pepper Potts. Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley also star.

Downey also appeared as his Stark/Iron Man character earlier this summer in The Avengers and will be returning in the superhero sequel in three years.

Disney and its Marvel Studios unit announced that the follow-up to this year's biggest hit will arrive in theatres on May 1, 2015.

The studio announced last week that Joss Whedon will be back to write and direct the as-yet-untitled sequel.

Released in May, The Avengers gathered such Marvel comic-book heroes as Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth). The film has taken in nearly US$1.5 billion worldwide.

There will be plenty of Marvel action building up to The Avengers follow-up. Downey's Iron Man 3 is due out next May, followed by Hemsworth's Thor sequel in November 2013 and Evans' Captain America sequel in April 2014.

- AP