The weekend’s biggest (and most shocking?) movie news came out of San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday evening. During Marvel‘s Hall H panel, the new direction for the next couple Avengers movies was announced — as well as the new directors.
Instead of rolling the dice on untested folks, they hired back Joe and Anthony Russo, the guys who made the last two Avengers movies, Infinity War and Endgame — you know, two of the highest grossing movies of all time. The Russo Brothers then announced they were bringing back a fan favorite, too. The fan favorite. Robert Downey Jr.!!! Only… he won’t be playing Iron Man this time. Instead he’ll be playing the next big bad guy, Doctor Doom! Remember, the guy with the mask from Fantastic Four?
The news shocked fans, considering he used to play the MCU’s biggest hero. But Disney clearly feels they’re in safer hands with him than Jonathan Majors, whose major villain Kang apparently died on the way back to his home planet after Majors’ domestic violence conviction. And they were willing to back a dumptruck up to RDJ’s house to prove it!
Related: Neve Campbell Back For Scream 7! And She’s Not The Only One!
Variety reports this week after the announcement that the Russo Brothers are being paid a whopping $80 million to direct both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars back to back. As for Downey? He’s getting “significantly more” to star in both. SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN $80 MILLION?!? Their sources tell them RDJ will also get special perks, including his own private jet to take him to the London set, a security team, and a “trailer encampment.” A little home away from home as the flicks begin filming next spring.
That $80 mil+ payday will likely make him the highest paid actor of all time, by some estimates! Depends on how “significant” we’re talking. But it’s certainly up in that neighborhood! It’s unclear how much he made for Infinity War and Endgame, but we know he had backend points that cleared $75 million. Presumably his deal is bigger here if it’s guaranteed north of 80.
Other extremely well-paid stars include Tom Cruise, who takes most of his pay on the backend and thus made $100 mil on megahit Top Gun: Maverick. Will Smith apparently made similar on Men In Black 3. And Bruce Willis was one smart cookie when he opted to forgo his usual movie star salary in exchange for a big cut of the profits on a little horror movie called The Sixth Sense. The one to beat, though, is Keanu Reeves, who apparently made as much as $156 MILLION with his points on the Matrix sequels. We’ll have to see if anyone can get more deets on just how much of a cut RDJ gets — and whether these movies end up making as much as Endgame!
Are YOU excited for RDJ coming back for more Avengers??
[Image via MEGA/WENN/Marvel/YouTube.]
Related Posts
