The Marvel Cinematic Universe has established itself as an industry powerhouse. Millions of dollars are invested into producing a plethora of films and series under its umbrella. In 2017, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: Homecoming was brought to life with a budget of $175 million. The film went on to amass $880.2 million at the worldwide box office. The returns could substantiate the capital invested.
These multi-million budget undertakings accommodate not only the CGI, special effects, and marketing expenses, but also the wages of staff and crew members. Actors’ salaries frequently contribute to the inflation of a film’s budget. When we take into consideration the amount Robert Downey Jr. received for his scanty screen time in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the aforementioned fact becomes rather astounding!
Robert Downey Jr. Was Paid $10M For Spider-Man: Homecoming
In Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, we saw RDJ’s Iron Man/Tony Stark act as a mentor figure to Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Although the narrative was primarily focused on the title character, Tony Stark’s presence was felt throughout the overarching theme of the film. The movie established the latter’s significance to our budding friendly neighborhood hero’s journey and growth. While several critics were unamused by what they deem a “glorified cameo”, others were ecstatic to see Robert Downey Jr. in the 2017 Marvel endeavor.
The actor’s involvement in the premise was rewarded with not only a positive reception but also a grand paycheck. As per Film Facts (via Variety), Robert Downey Jr. received a payment of $10 million for a mere 8 minutes of screen time in Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: Homecoming.
For further context, the staggering amount indicates that the Oppenheimer talent was paid $1.25M per minute of his appearance! This aspect of the film has surprised numerous MCU fans. Some of these viewpoints were subsequently expressed on Twitter.
Marvel Fans React To This Shocking Revelation
Considering how Tony Stark’s influence permeated the storyline, it’s baffling for people to discover that the Sherlock Holmes actor had a mere 8 minutes of screen time. You’d naturally expect it to be more. The film’s editing and pacing have been structured in a way that prevents us from discerning the actual duration of RDJ’s appearance. Regardless, the surprise of Marvel fans underscores the tactful establishment of Tony Stark’s importance in the 2017 film.
Even if you don’t see him, you feel his presence. Whether this works in favor of the premise or against it is subjective. Opinions are bound to vary.
Read also: $69M Non-Marvel Chris Hemsworth Movie is the One That Got Him a Rare Streaming Record
However, some users on Twitter have opened up about the incessant criticism that often follows Spider-Man: Homecoming. These individuals pointed out that RDJ’s screen time revelation demonstrates the unjustified nature of such unnecessary condemnation.
Following are some Tweets to elucidate the point:
He had just 8 MINUTES of screen-time? This can’t be real, I swear he was in the movie for long lmao https://t.co/Bc9BewNhb3
— Shadow Knight (@shadowknightdk) August 23, 2023
See that’s the thing
8 minutes is only not much time if you don’t use that time wisely and they use those 8 minutes flawlessly with RDJ— Scrawn (@Scrawn_YT) August 23, 2023
That’s what happens when people act like it’s the entire movie and use that to talk about how it ruins Spider-Man
— Sneakatnite Loves Moon Knight (@sneakatnite) August 24, 2023
i think y’all just gaslit yourselves into thinking this was just a Spider-Man/Iron Man team up movie
— ObamaKueiGuy (@KueiMain247) August 24, 2023
social media would have you believe he was there for the entire movie. revisionist history
— conner (@flexicutionyt) August 24, 2023
His scenes are so well placed you can feel his presence all throughout the movie, even when he isn’t there
— (jules) (@sealcharm) August 23, 2023
Spider-Man: Homecoming has often been hailed by Marvel fans as the weakest link in MCU’s first Spider-Man trilogy. The aforementioned tweets illuminate the unjust nature of asserting that the movie only focused on Tony Stark/Iron Man rather than the titular character. While RDJ’s character was given immense significance in the setup, he functioned as merely a guiding figure who would propel Peter Parker/Spider-Man toward greater growth and development.
Franchises like Marvel or DC are known for their cameo problem. However, reducing Homecoming to just that would be a disservice to the overarching plot of the revered trilogy. At the end of No Way Home, we witnessed a character that needed these preceding films to feel properly fleshed out.
Tom Holland’s subsequent MCU endeavors will mark the commencement of Spider-Man’s real journey.
Source: Film Facts
