Payday Incoming: Robert Downey Jr. Secures Enormous Deal to Star in the Next Two ‘Avengers’ Films!

This year’s SDCC brought a slew of surprises for the MCU. Marvel Studios confirmed that ‘Avengers 5’ has been officially retitled and will focus on a new villain, Doctor Doom. Formerly known as ‘Kang Dynasty,’ the movie is now titled ‘Doomsday,’ with the Russo brothers returning to direct. Fans can expect its release on May 1, 2026, if all goes according to plan.

The biggest surprise of the event was the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, this time as Doctor Doom—a decision that has garnered both praise and criticism.

Some fans view casting Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom as a sign of the MCU’s creative bankruptcy, believing that Kevin Feige is undoing one of the franchise’s most impactful moments. Others, however, are thrilled to see Downey return to the series that made him immensely wealthy.

Indeed, it has long been known that Robert Downey Jr. is one of the highest-paid actors in the MCU, and securing him for the two upcoming ‘Avengers’ movies has significantly increased his price.

According to Variety, Marvel is paying $80 million for Anthony and Joe Russo to direct ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars,’ with significantly more for Robert Downey Jr. to play the villain Doctor Doom in both films. The Russos’ deal, excluding back-end compensation, includes performance bonuses at the $750 million and $1 billion box office thresholds. Additionally, they will produce the films through their AGBO banner, a departure from Marvel’s typical practice of keeping production in-house.

Robert Downey Jr.’s deal for his role as Doctor Doom includes perks like private jet travel, dedicated security, and an extensive trailer setup. It is estimated that he has earned between $500 million and $600 million across four ‘Avengers’ movies, three ‘Iron Man’ films, and appearances in ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ and ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’

According to a source involved in the deal, Robert Downey Jr. made one stipulation for his return: he insisted that the Russo brothers direct the movie, and that was a non-negotiable condition.

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