Film, Robert Downey Jr, Culture, Ryan Gosling, Zendaya, Film industry, Money, Marvel, Business Business | The Guardian
Robert Downey Jr’s return to the Marvel universe will make him the highest-paid actor in the industry but post-strikes, should A-listers be taking all the cash?Marvel was surely expecting a hero’s welcome over the weekend when they announced that Robert Downey Jr would be returning to the Marvel Universe, and at San Diego Comic-Con, at least, that’s what they got. Crucially, Downey won’t be playing Tony Stark, whose endpoint in Avengers: Endgame would be left untouched, but rather Dr Doom, a major comics villain who will menace the Avengers (whoever they may be) in at least two upcoming mega-movies, due out in 2026 and 2027. The nerds went nuts: giving them more of what they love while also preserving canon?! What could be better?In the days that followed, however, it was Thanos-level inevitable that details of the financial arrangement allowing this glorious return would swirl around the news. Though hard figures about these deals are rarely officially released, Variety includes some anonymously sourced speculation about what Downey and his hand-picked directors, the Russo Brothers, are getting for this endeavor. The Russos, also returning for the first time since Endgame, are said to be getting $80m for the two movies, with Downey allegedly receiving much more, in addition to a litany of expensive perks. All of this from the company that Downey himself had to badger into paying for gym memberships for the other Avengers! Even if these numbers are exaggerated, Downey seems certain to be breaking records for an upfront movie salary. Continue reading…
Robert Downey Jr’s return to the Marvel universe will make him the highest-paid actor in the industry but post-strikes, should A-listers be taking all the cash?
Marvel was surely expecting a hero’s welcome over the weekend when they announced that Robert Downey Jr would be returning to the Marvel Universe, and at San Diego Comic-Con, at least, that’s what they got. Crucially, Downey won’t be playing Tony Stark, whose endpoint in Avengers: Endgame would be left untouched, but rather Dr Doom, a major comics villain who will menace the Avengers (whoever they may be) in at least two upcoming mega-movies, due out in 2026 and 2027. The nerds went nuts: giving them more of what they love while also preserving canon?! What could be better?
In the days that followed, however, it was Thanos-level inevitable that details of the financial arrangement allowing this glorious return would swirl around the news. Though hard figures about these deals are rarely officially released, Variety includes some anonymously sourced speculation about what Downey and his hand-picked directors, the Russo Brothers, are getting for this endeavor. The Russos, also returning for the first time since Endgame, are said to be getting $80m for the two movies, with Downey allegedly receiving much more, in addition to a litany of expensive perks. All of this from the company that Downey himself had to badger into paying for gym memberships for the other Avengers! Even if these numbers are exaggerated, Downey seems certain to be breaking records for an upfront movie salary.
