Kaylah Walton
Marvel is banking heavily on Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo brothers for their upcoming projects. Following a challenging period, Marvel is revisiting past successful collaborations by reuniting with Downey Jr. and the Russo Bros., who helmed the blockbuster hits “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.”
Bringing back these key individuals comes with a hefty price tag. Reports suggest that Marvel is shelling out $80 million for Anthony and Joe Russo to direct the films “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” Downey, cast as Doctor Doom, is poised to earn even more. The deal with the Russo brothers includes performance-based bonuses triggered at the $750 million and $1 billion marks, and they will also oversee production through their AGBO banner, a departure from Marvel’s usual practice of collaborating with in-house producers.
Downey, who played a pivotal role in propelling Marvel to success with his portrayal of Tony Stark in 2008’s “Iron Man,” is set to surpass them in earnings, with a contract enriched with perks such as private jet travel, dedicated security, and a specially arranged “trailer encampment.” Following his recent Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor in “Oppenheimer,” Downey retains his status as the highest-paid member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having amassed between $500 million and $600 million from appearances in four “Avengers” movies, three “Iron Man” installments, and multiple cameos.
There will be some alterations in the production process as well. While previous “Avengers” films were shot in Atlanta, the upcoming ones are slated to be filmed in London starting in the second quarter of 2025.
Downey Jr. to receive a groundbreaking payment for his portrayal of Doctor Doom
Marvel’s cinematic reign faced challenges in 2023 with underperforming sequels like “Ant-Man” that earned just $476 million worldwide and the disappointment of “The Marvels,” which barely crossed the $200 million mark globally. The planned “Avengers” narrative, centered around the character Kang, had to be scrapped due to legal issues involving actor Jonathan Majors. After Majors was convicted of assault and harassment, Disney severed ties with him, leading to director Destin Daniel Cretton’s exit from “Avengers: Kang Dynasty.”
Variety reported that Marvel contemplated shifting focus from Kang to Doctor Doom, with Kevin Feige keen on reuniting with Downey. Downey consented to return only if the Russo brothers were at the helm, as they were his only preferred collaborators, according to sources.
The two “Avengers” movies directed by the Russo brothers collectively grossed $4.851 billion. As Marvel strives to regain its momentum, the re-teaming of Downey and the Russos is viewed as a “perfect alignment of timing and shared vision,” as stated by an executive in proximity to the project.
