Marvel bets on big bucks! $80 million deal for Russo Brothers, 'significantly more' for Robert Downey Jr.
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Following a rough year, Marvel is getting back to what they did well before. The Russo brothers, who helmed the studio's two most profitable films, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, will also be returning, along with Robert Downey Jr., the franchise's crown jewel.
Cost of reuniting key members
However, it will not be inexpensive to reunite the former gang with important members. As per Variety, Marvel reportedly paid Anthony and Joe Russo $80 million to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, while Downey reportedly received "significantly more" to play the role of uber-villain Doctor Doom in the two films. The Russos' agreement includes performance escalators that activate at the $750 million and $1 billion milestones but does not include back-end compensation. Under their AGBO banner, the brothers will also produce both projects. Marvel, which usually prefers to retain its production crew in-house, is breaking new ground with this move.
Private jet travel, dedicated security, and a whole 'trailer encampment' are just a few of the advantages that come with Downey's deal. He helped convert Marvel into a money-printing juggernaut in 2008 with his role as Tony Stark in the first Iron Man film. Downey won the title of the year's finest supporting actor for his performance in Oppenheimer.
Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU earnings
Over the course of four Avengers films, three Iron Man outings, and cameos in The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: Civil War, and Spider-Man: Homecoming, Downey reportedly earned between $500 million and $600 million, making him the highest-paid actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Some adjustments, though, are necessary. Filming will shift from Atlanta, where the Russo brothers shot the first two Avengers films, to London for the third film, starting in the second quarter of 2025.
Marvel's recent struggles
In spite of Marvel's meteoric rise to filmdom throughout its first 30 features, the studio started to falter in 2023 with the underwhelming Ant-Man sequel and the disastrous The Marvels, which failed to even break $200 million worldwide. A further source of tension on the Burbank set was the need to shelve the entire upcoming Avengers storyline with the villain Kang due to actor Jonathan Majors' legal issues. Just hours after Majors' assault and harassment conviction, which stemmed from an argument with his then-girlfriend, Disney severed relations with him. Disney is Marvel's parent corporation. Destin Daniel Cretton quickly left the director's chair of Avengers: Kang Dynasty.
According to a report by Variety about the studio's problems, Marvel was contemplating switching heroes from Kang to Doctor Doom due to the increasing problems with Majors. Kevin Feige, the studio chief, was eager to reunite Downey with the role, and he will be making his Broadway debut in Ayad Akhtar's McNeal this fall before beginning preproduction on Avengers in the new year.
Robert Downey Jr's conditions for return
According to sources, Downey had previously agreed to return to the MCU if the Russos would be directing. They were the only ones he would work with, says a person deeply involved in the negotiations.
Indeed, the aggregate earnings of the two Avengers films directed by the brothers were an astounding $4.851 billion. Reuniting Downey and Russo is a perfect combination of timing and everyone being on the same page, according to an executive familiar with the project, which comes as Marvel tries to regain its footing.
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