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Robert Downey Jr. was a major risk for Marvel when they cast him as Tony Stark / Iron Man, as the success of the movie could make or break the franchise. Kevin Feige and Jon Favreau took that risk, and it paid off immensely, leading to a $29.6 billion grossing franchise. Downey Jr. went from earning a modest $500,000 base salary in his firstIron Manmovie to commanding $75 million for his role inAvengers: Endgame.
Despite making a promising debut in movies,The Avengersactor ran into several troubles, including substance abuse and legal issues between 1996 and 2001. TheSherlock Holmesactor got sober in 2003 but struggled to make a significant commercial impact in films until his iconic role as Iron Man in 2008.
Also Read:“We all had confidence that he was clean”: Jon Favreau Used a Devious Trick to Force Marvel Studios to Cast Robert Downey Jr. After Board Openly Called Him an Addict
Robert Downey Jr.’s Salary And Stardom Soared With Each MCU Outing
Iron Mandirector,Jon Favreau, fought with Marvel to castRobert Downey Jr.over other A-listers likeTom CruiseandNicolas Cage. Considering the risk he was posing, Downey Jr. agreed to a modest salary of half a million (via Celebrity Net Worth). However, he also negotiated a back-end deal that entitled him to a share of the movie’s profits.Iron Manwent on to become a groundbreaking success in the superhero genre, earning $585.8 million at the box office.
Downey Jr. earned just over $2 million in total, which he could have easily negotiated as a base salary if not for his troubled past. However,Iron Man’s success not only launched the MCU but also the star power of theKiss Kiss Bang Bangactor. His basic paycheck rumoredly made a huge jump from $500,000 to $10 million for the secondIron Manmovie.Iron Man 2also made a significant $623 million, meaning the actor got paid handsomely due to the back-end deal.
In the first team-up movie,The Avengers, Robert Downey Jr. emerged as the biggest star among the ensemble cast and was paid more in salary and deals. His base salary remained $10 million for his next three movies, including the twoAvengersmovies andIron Man 3. Remarkably, all three movies crossed the billion-dollar mark, and Downey Jr.’s profit shares soared, reaching well over $50 million.
As theOppenheimeractor played a somewhat antagonistic role inCaptain America: Civil War, he negotiated a total salary of $40 million plus back-end deals (via Variety). For the final twoAvengersmovies, Robert Downey Jr. earned a staggering $75 million each (via The Hollywood Reporter). InAvengers: Endgame, theTropic Thunderactor out-earned his co-stars with a $20 million base salary (via Forbes) in addition to $55 million in back-end deals.
Also Read:”That is the fakest English accent”: Not Just Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh’s Atrocious Accent Forced Her to Apologize Despite Being Born in the UK
Robert Downey Jr.’s Salary Even Led Marvel To Consider Some Tough Decisions
Marvel elevated Robert Downey Jr.’s stardom to exceptional levels. Simultaneously,The Judgeactor was also instrumental in the success of theIron Manmovies and the entire MCU. Interestingly, Downey Jr. was making less than co-starTerrence Howardin the firstIron Manmovie. However, by the time ofThe Avengers, his third MCU film, theDolittleactor was the highest-paid actor on set.
TheZodiacactor advocated for a competent salary for his co-stars, some of whom received only $200,000 for their roles inThe Avengers, despite the movie’s $1.5 billion success. His contract with Marvel ended afterIron Man 3,and he even refused to return forAge of Ultronunless his co-stars were offered higher pay. Marvel eventually conceded to the demands of the actor, although they were not entirely pleased with the situation.
During the making ofCaptain America: Civil War, Downey Jr. initially had a smaller role in the film. However, he persuaded the writers to expand his role, thus negotiating a higher payday. Angered by this, Marvel even considered writing Iron Man out of theCaptain Americafilm. It would have been one of the dumbest moves if Marvel had gone ahead with it.
Also Read:“You’re in pain, you’re lonely”: Gravity’s Frustrating Shooting Process That Scared Robert Downey Jr. Made Sandra Bullock Feel Helpless
All MCU movies featuring Robert Downey Jr. are now available for streaming on Disney+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
