Robert Downey Jr is widely considered the talisman of the MCU and the Avengers Ensemble through his character Iron Man. Having kickstarted the cinematic franchise with 2008’s Iron Man, the Oppenheimer star went on to become an integral link in the development of the various narratives, while also gaining popularity through his standalone sequels, Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3.
Such was his influence in the franchise, that Downey Jr became the highest-paid Marvel actor, while also taking home a staggering salary for Iron Man 3. This huge paycheck commitments resulted in Marvel Studios not being able to afford the Sherlock Holmes actor for a 4th Iron Man film. Downey Jr though, reached a compromise by trading his standalone movie, to appear in supporting roles in other MCU films.
Also Read: MCU’s Godfather Robert Downey Jr Surprisingly Was Not the Highest Paid Actor in Iron Man
Why Robert Downey Jr Will Not Get A 4th Iron Man Film
With his charismatic presence as Iron Man in 3 standalone films in the MCU as well as his significant role in Avengers, Robert Downey Jr has cemented his place as Marvel’s highest-paid actor. The Due Date star has earned a mammoth salary of $50 million for his role in the Avengers films, while also taking home $70 million for Iron Man 3.
With talks of the possibility of a 4th Iron Man film, these skyrocketing paychecks meant that Marvel was now not able to afford Downey Jr’s fees, which led to the shelving of the project. The celebrity though, reached a compromise with the franchise to appear as his character Iron Man in other MCU films, albeit in supporting roles.
This decision led to Kevin Feige creating the opportunity for Downey Jr to share exclusive screen space with Chris Evans in Captain America: Civil War. The film not only worked brilliantly for Evans’ intensity but also became memorable for its narrative featuring the clash of two of Marvel’s greatest superheroes, Iron Man and Captain America.
Robert Downey Jr’s Injury In Iron Man 3 Became A Blessing In Disguise
Marvel’s highest-paid actor Robert Downey Jr, earned his biggest paycheck for his portrayal of Tony Stark aka Iron Man in the 3rd standalone film based on his character. While the film did fantastic business at the box office, it was not always smooth sailing for the Sherlock Holmes actor on set. Downey Jr sustained a serious ankle injury while performing a stunt, which forced him to rest for a month and a half.
As fate would have it, this break in filming owing to the Oppenheimer actor’s injury, turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the movie. In the book The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, producer Steven Broussard revealed how these circumstances led to a rehashing of the screenplay, which resulted in a much better climax as seen by audiences.
“The thing about unexpected events – like your lead actor needing to rest for six weeks due to an injury – is that they force the creative process to pump the brakes, take a deep breath, look at the bigger picture, and reassess. We suddenly had the space and time to figure it out”.
While Broussard did not elaborate on what exactly was changed in the film, the fact remained that the climax involving Downey Jr’s Iron Man and Guy Pearce as the antagonist Aldrich Killian, was lauded by audiences and critics alike.
