Marvel has invested heavily to reunite Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo brothers for the upcoming fifth and sixth Avengers films, titled ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. These announcements were made at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, where both Downey and the Russos appeared together on stage. Downey, who portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man in the MCU for over a decade, concluded his role with ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and Avengers: Endgame’, both directed by the Russos.
According to a new Variety report, Downey’s sole condition for returning was that the Russos must also be involved. Given their track record and Downey’s stature—now an Oscar-winner for his role in ‘Oppenheimer’—the cost of their return was significant. The Russos are set to receive $80 million for directing the two films, which is approximately Rs 670 crore, plus additional bonuses tied to global box office milestones of $750 million and $1 billion. This figure does not include backend compensation.
Downey, having earned between $400 million and $500 million from Marvel over the years—including four Avengers films, three solo Iron Man movies, and various cameos—has accumulated around Rs 3700 crore. He is expected to earn ‘significantly more’ than the Russos for these upcoming films, where he will play the supervillain Doctor Doom. His deal includes perks such as ‘private jet travel, dedicated security, and an entire trailer encampment’.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige began considering bringing Downey back due to mounting studio problems, including box office struggles and a major revamp following actor Jonathan Majors’ firing. Downey agreed to return only on the condition that the Russos be brought back as well. “They were the only ones he would work with,” a source told Variety.
Filming for the new Avengers movies will start in 2025 in England, moving away from Marvel’s usual Atlanta locations. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is scheduled for release in 2026, followed by ‘Secret Wars’ in 2027.
