Marvel is returning to what works best by bringing back the crown jewel Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo brothers, who directed the blockbuster hits ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ But reuniting these key players comes with a hefty price tag.
Sources say Marvel is shelling out a hefty amount to pay both Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo Brothers. It makes sense why the production company is willing to invest heavily on these two assets, given a year of poorly performing films. While the success of Marvel’s recent film ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ has seemingly paved the way for its return to the former glory, here’s how much the banner is investing to make it better.
Related: “Are You A Baddie Now?”: Robert Downey Jr.’s Onscreen Wife Gwyneth Paltrow Reacts To His Villainous Return As Doctor Doom
Robert Downey Jr’s Big Payday And Perks
With Robert Downey Jr. set to return as Doctor Doom to the MCU, reports suggest that the production house is shelling out $80 million for Anthony and Joe Russo to direct ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars,’ and even more for Downey to play the uber-villain Doctor Doom in these two tentpoles.
The Russos’ deal doesn’t include back-end compensation but has performance escalators at the $750 million and $1 billion thresholds. They will also produce the films via their AGBO banner, a shift for Marvel, which usually keeps production in-house.
For Downey, who launched Marvel into a money-making machine with his portrayal of Tony Stark in the 2008 film ‘Iron Man,’ the deal includes perks like private jet travel, dedicated security, and an entire “trailer encampment.” The newly minted Oscar winner (for his role in ‘Oppenheimer’) is set to be the highest-paid member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Downey is by far the highest-paid member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has pulled down between $500 million and $600 million over the course of four ‘Avengers’ movies, three ‘Iron Man’ outings, and cameos in ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ and ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming,’” a source was quoted as saying by Variety.
In Case You Missed: ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Boldly Reimagines Marvel’s Icons Without Catering To The Origin Story
The Downey-Russos Reunion Is “A Perfect Combination Of Timing” For Marvel
While the previous two ‘Avengers’ movies were shot in Atlanta, the new films will be filmed in London starting in the second quarter of 2025. Marvel, which had been the most dominant brand in cinema over its first 30 films, began to show cracks in 2023. The ‘Ant-Man’ sequel brought in just $476 million worldwide, and ‘The Marvels’ barely cleared $200 million globally.
The entire future ‘Avengers’ arc centered on villain Kang had to be scrapped due to actor Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles as Disney also cut ties with him after his conviction for assault and harassment. As a result, director Destin Daniel Cretton exited ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty.’
Variety reported that Marvel considered pivoting from Kang to Doctor Doom as Majors’ problems mounted, with chief Kevin Feige keen to bring back Downey. Downey, who will segue from his Broadway debut in Ayad Akhtar’s ‘McNeal’ in the fall to preproduction on ‘Avengers’ in the new year, agreed to return only if the Russos were directing.
“They were the only ones he would work with,” said a source familiar with the dealmaking. The Russo brothers’ previous two ‘Avengers’ movies earned a combined $4.851 billion.
As Marvel looks to regain its footing, a Downey/Russos reunion is “a perfect combination of timing and everyone being on the same page,” according to an executive close to the project.
You Might Also Like To Read:
