Robert Downey Jr. reportedly made $50 million for starring in The Avengers. However, that is nothing in comparison to the reported $75 million he grossed in Iron Man 3. Now Robert Downey Jr. reportedly wants $100 million to appear in the next Marvel film.
The biggest question on everyone’s mind is if RDJ will return for Iron Man 4. As of now, the actor has fulfilled his contract for Marvel, and considering his success, it is reasonable to say he won’t sign back on for a cheap rate. While he may currently be Marvel’s top grossing actor, they may not need him to return.
Kevin Feige, President of Production at Marvel Studios, told Entertainment Weekly, “There will be a fourth ‘Iron Man’ and a fifth, sixth and a 10th and a 20th. I see no reason why Tony Stark can’t be as evergreen as James Bond, Batman, or for that matter, Spider-Man.”
Personally, I think Feige is taking the wrong approach to this.
For starters, the Iron Man movies have far out-grossed any other Marvel Universe film (i.e. The Hulk, Thor, and Captain America). The three Iron Man movies combined have grossed over $800 million for Marvel, totaling more than all of the X-Men movies at $500 million.
Why, though, is the world so in love with Tony Stark?
There’s something special that people see not only in the Iron Man movies, but also in Robert Downey Jr. The charm he has created for Tony Stark is a one of a kind; the pompous, egotistical, yet lovable character that we have all gotten to know. This is what sells the movies. Robert Downey Jr. is the one and only Tony Stark.
If Marvel plans to continue creating Iron Man movies without Robert Downey Jr., they will just be watering down the series. If the actors are all so replaceable, by the time 2023 rolls around we’ll be looking at as many different Iron Man actors as there have been James Bond.
Would it be insulting to the Iron Man legacy if RDJ was replaced by new actors in future movies? How would this effect the continuity of the films? More importantly, would you be a fan of a new Tony Stark? Leave a comment below.
