Again in 2008, when Marvel took an enormous swing by casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Iron Man, few may have guessed how massively that call would repay for the studio and the actor himself. On the time, Downey was thought of a danger. However because the Marvel Cinematic Universe exploded in reputation, so did RDJ’s earnings, due to good negotiations and back-end revenue offers.
Although his run as Iron Man got here to an emotional shut in Avengers: Endgame (2019), rumors of a return by no means actually light. And now, as of April 2025, there’s affirmation that Downey can be again as Physician Doom. Whether or not he’s enjoying a hero or a villain, one factor’s clear: Marvel isn’t fairly achieved with their golden boy. So, how a lot did RDJ truly earn for donning the Iron Man swimsuit over time? Let’s break it down movie by movie.
Iron Man (2008): A Modest Begin With Large Payoff
Throughout the making of Iron Man (2008), Robert Downey Jr. was removed from a field workplace certain factor. His previous struggles made insurers nervous, and his title wasn’t but synonymous with superheroes. Nonetheless, the makers nonetheless noticed potential within the actor, and Downey reportedly agreed to take a comparatively modest paycheck of $500,000, as retrieved through Superstar Internet Value. As per the stories, RDJ lastly made a complete of $2 million, together with the bonus he earned by the movie’s success.
Iron Man 2 & The Avengers: Paychecks Begin Climbing
The sequel, Iron Man 2 (2010), was quite fast-tracked, and Downey returned as Stark with a a lot greater paycheck. He reportedly pulled in $10 million upfront, seemingly extra as soon as the earnings have been tallied. By the point The Avengers (2012) got here round, Downey had already turn into the face of the MCU. RDJ scored him an enormous payday, reportedly round $50 million, due to the movie’s staggering $1.5 billion world field workplace haul.
Iron Man 3: RDJ’s Most Profitable Solo Movie
Downey returned as soon as once more, this time for the most important solo outing within the Iron Man trilogy. Iron Man 3 (2013) raked in $1.2 billion globally, making it his most profitable solo movie. RDJ reportedly made $75 million by this movie. For the following Marvel movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Downey’s paycheck is estimated to be wherever from $40 million. Equally, Downey made one other $ 40 million for his subsequent MCU challenge, Captain America: Civil Conflict.
Extra MCU Hits: Age of Ultron, Civil Conflict & Spider-Man Cameo
Regardless of being within the movie for less than about 10 minutes, RDJ made $15 million for his work in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). As Avengers: Infinity Conflict (2018) hit theaters, Downey’s collaboration with Marvel paid off as soon as once more. With the film pulling in over $2 billion worldwide, RDJ’s earnings reportedly hit the $75 million mark. Likewise, RDJ as soon as once more banked $75 million for his look in Avengers: Endgame, which was as soon as believed to be his remaining look within the MCU.
So, how a lot did Robert Downey Jr. make in complete by his MCU appearances? Effectively, as per the stories, the celebrity made round $380 million to $421 million, together with back-end bonuses. However this quantity will solely go up because the actor gears up for his Marvel comeback below the disguise of his new antagonist character, Physician Doom.
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