Robert Downey Jr. made fans bid a teary farewell to the heart of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, only for him to make a flabbergasting comeback as a menace (quite literally).
After the nail in Iron Man’s literal and proverbial coffin, the former Avenger is back in the superhero game. Only this time, he’s going to be putting down the good guys instead of being one.
But RDJ had a strict condition for stepping into the shoes of Doctor Doom, and it’s not just the monetary perks.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Sacrosanct Demand For Returning to the MCU
This year’s San Diego Comic-Con was a fest of bewildering zest as the man, the myth, the legend, Robert Downey Jr. unmasked himself as the wicked Doctor Doom for not one, but two forthcoming Marvel flagships – Avengers: Doomsday & Avengers: Secret Wars.
And of course, the studio paid a hefty price for bringing its most bankable star back.
Besides a gargantuan paycheck, Variety reports that Downey Jr. will be reaping the benefits of a private jet, a security detail, and a “trailer encampment.” But that’s not all, the 59-year-old Iron Man star had one non-negotiable demand without which he refused to wield Doom’s dark magic.
An unnamed source recently spilled the beans to the media outlet, claiming that RDJ would only don the ‘evil genius’ moniker granted Marvel brings back Joe & Anthony Russo along with him. “They were the only ones he would work with,” the insider said.
It’s safe to say that the newfound Oscar winner didn’t just get a piece of the pie, he had Marvel Studios bake the whole goddamn dessert for him and more.
In the Grand Scheme of Things, This Makes Perfect Sense
The Russo brothers have proved themselves to be invaluable assets to the franchise time and time again. The pair of producers – who have helmed four MCU features so far – are back in action with two new films now on their plate.
Their previous superhero ventures include 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2016’s Civil War, followed by Avengers: Infinity War in 2018, and the Avengers tour de force, Endgame. While all these films witnessed meteoric success, the whole world is privy to the dazzling victory lap that Avengers: Endgame ran.
Not only did Endgame set multiple records in the realm of cinema, but it also became the highest-grossing movie worldwide, second only to James Cameron’s Avatar (2009). The 2019 film had a box-office run so monstrous -banking almost $2.8 billion across the globe – that it would put even Hulk to shame.
It makes sense then, why Kevin Feige would accept Downey Jr.’s major demand of reinstating the Russos, amongst other things, of course.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to debut in May 2026.
