Manufacturing on the extremely anticipated Avengers: Doomsday is formally underway in London, and whereas the beginning of manufacturing on the upcoming Marvel film is a large enough headline by itself, what’s much more eye-popping is Marvel Studios’ determination to let Robert Downey Jr. commute backwards and forwards from Malibu by way of personal jet. Sure, the identical Marvel that’s change into notorious in creator circles (particularly on the subject of VFX) for pinching each penny has granted the Chaplin actor the sort of A-list perk that screams “no expense spared.”
In keeping with Selection, Downey’s return to the upcoming superhero film comes with an unlimited paycheck and a full suite of luxuries, together with a devoted safety element, customized trailer setup, and, most notably, personal air journey. He’s returning in each Doomsday and Secret Wars, this time because the villain Physician Doom, with the Russo brothers again on the helm. The publication reviews that the Russos are receiving a reported $80 million for the 2 movies mixed. The Doolittle star’s compensation is “considerably extra,” befitting somebody who has already earned an estimated $500–600 million from his time within the MCU.
For a studio that hardly ever works with outdoors producers, even letting the Russos produce by way of their AGBO banner is a significant deviation from the norm. However wait, there’s extra, as it is the Oscar winner’s personal jet clause that actually defies Marvel’s standard playbook.
The irony right here is not precisely hidden. In March, Bleeding Cool reported that Marvel Comics got here beneath intense hearth from esteemed, fan-favorite creators like Dustin Nguyen and Sean Murphy for what they described as years of economic exploitation, zero royalties on abroad gross sales, stagnant pay charges, and reuse of paintings with out compensation.
Nguyen’s viral posts accused Marvel of “minimal wage bullsh*t” whereas declaring the corporate wouldn’t even entertain a $75 web page price enhance after 15 years. Sean Murphy revealed he’d been blacklisted for a decade. Zoe Thorogood recalled being paid simply $100 for work Marvel later repurposed with out discover.
That’s the backdrop towards which Downey’s luxurious jet commutes land. It’s not only a private comfort; it virtually appears like a symbolic flex. Marvel has traditionally been an organization that retains its expertise on a decent leash, particularly on the comics facet. Even in Hollywood, their popularity hasn’t at all times been beneficiant on the subject of backend offers or bonus constructions, which is why this inexperienced gentle for the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang performer feels so out of character.
It additionally raises questions. RDJ and his spouse, Susan, are high-profile environmental advocates. Per a characteristic on The Purist On-line, the couple’s Malibu compound, the Binishell, is a mannequin of sustainable dwelling, powered by wind generators and hydropanels that extract consuming water from air. Downey even co-founded the Footprint Coalition, a enterprise fund devoted to inexperienced tech. So common long-haul personal jet flights throughout the Atlantic for Doomsday shoot days? It’s a contradiction that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
In fact, that is Marvel in rebuild mode. After the MCU stumbled with The Marvels and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, the studio ultimately needed to scrap its Kang-centric plans following Jonathan Majors’ conviction. Returning to confirmed components like Downey and the Russos looks like a calculated threat. Final yr’s Deadpool & Wolverine and the newer main success of the Thunderbolts* has given the studio a lift of funds and confidence, and now Doomsday represents a high-stakes reset button.
It’s fairly wild to consider Marvel supposedly refusing to shell out royalties for a lunchbox design, whereas reportedly not batting an eye fixed on the Iron Man star’s cool aerial commute. You possibly can name it model loyalty, leverage, or simply how issues roll in enterprise, but it surely’s an superior perk for a studio that often says “no” to creatives wanting a bit of extra cash for his or her time and artwork.
The subsequent launch within the MCU is the upcoming Implausible 4: First Steps, which lands on the 2025 film launch schedule on July twenty fifth. Avengers: Doomsday, alternatively, is predicted to hit theaters on Might 1st, 2026.