Marvel Studios is banking on a return to its roots by reuniting with some of its most successful collaborators: Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo brothers. After a challenging year, the studio is hoping that bringing back these key players will restore its box office dominance.
Sources reveal that Marvel is investing $80 million to secure Anthony and Joe Russo as directors for the upcoming films “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” Robert Downey Jr., who will portray the villain Doctor Doom, is set to receive a significantly higher payout. The Russo brothers’ contract includes performance bonuses that activate at the $750 million and $1 billion milestones, though it does not feature back-end compensation. Additionally, the Russos will produce the films through their AGBO banner, a notable departure from Marvel’s usual practice of keeping production in-house.
Robert Downey Jr., who propelled Marvel to financial success starting with his role as Tony Stark in the 2008 film “Iron Man,” has negotiated a deal filled with perks. These include private jet travel, dedicated security, and a lavish “trailer encampment.” Downey, who recently won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Oppenheimer,” remains the highest-paid actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, earning between $500 million and $600 million across his appearances in four “Avengers” films, three “Iron Man” movies, and several cameos.
While the previous two Russo-directed “Avengers” films were shot in Atlanta, the new projects will be filmed in London starting in the second quarter of 2025.
Marvel’s dominance in cinema began to wane in 2023 with the underwhelming performance of the “Ant-Man” sequel, which grossed $476 million worldwide, and the disappointing “The Marvels,” which barely crossed the $200 million mark globally. Compounding these challenges, the planned “Avengers” arc centered on the villain Kang was scrapped due to legal issues involving actor Jonathan Majors. Disney, Marvel’s parent company, severed ties with Majors after his conviction for assault and harassment. This led to director Destin Daniel Cretton leaving “Avengers: Kang Dynasty.”
As reported previously, Marvel considered shifting focus from Kang to Doctor Doom amid Majors’ legal troubles. Studio chief Kevin Feige was eager to bring back Downey, who is set to transition from his Broadway debut in Ayad Akhtar’s “mcneal” to preproduction on the new “Avengers” films early next year.
Downey, represented by WME, agreed to return to the MCU under the condition that the Russo brothers, clients of CAA, would direct. “They were the only ones he would work with,” says a source familiar with the negotiations.
The Russo brothers’ previous “Avengers” films amassed $4.851 billion combined. With Marvel aiming to regain its cinematic dominance, the Downey/Russos reunion is seen as a “perfect combination of timing and everyone being on the same page,” according to an executive close to the project.