For Downey, who helped catapult Marvel into a money-printing machine thanks to his turn as Tony Stark in the first “Iron Man” film in 2008, his deal also is filled with perks that include private jet travel, dedicated security and a whole “trailer encampment” for the newly minted Oscar winner. (Downey took home this year’s best supporting actor honors for his role in “Oppenheimer.”)
According to one knowledgeable source, 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.”
Still, some changes are in order. While the Russo brothers’ previous two “Avengers” movies shot in Atlanta, the new outings will be filmed in London beginning in the second quarter of 2025.
Although Marvel had become the most dominant brand in cinema over its first 30 films, it began to show cracks in 2023, with a ho-hum “Ant-Man” sequel that brought in just $476 million worldwide, coupled with a disastrous “The Marvels,” which barely cleared the $200 million mark globally. Adding to the angst on the Burbank lot, the entire future “Avengers” arc that centered on villain Kang had to be scrapped amid actor Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles. (Marvel parent company Disney cut ties with Majors hours after he was convicted of assault and harassment stemming from an altercation with his girlfriend at the time.) In short order, director Destin Daniel Cretton exited “Avengers: Kang Dynasty.”
