As Joss Whedon's The Avengers cuts to black and begins its first round of end credits, there is a lasting image of the last surviving letter on the outside of Stark Tower: the letter "A." Given the chosen font, it was pretty obviously a nod to the fact that the building would wind up becoming The Avengers Tower - but as cool as that Easter Egg is, now there is a cooler story about the character (specifically about its current whereabouts).
Doing an interview with BBC Radio One, Robert Downey Jr. has revealed that Marvel Studios has actually gifted him the 30-foot-tall "A" last seen hanging on the side of Stark Tower. According to the actor's story, he originally requested it as a joke, but it was one that the comic book movie company took seriously and delivered on in a huge way. Said the Iron Man star,
"On the last Avengers, there's this scene where there's this 'A' which is probably 30 feet tall, and I'm looking at it, and we're shooting in England, and I go, 'I need that in my office in Venice."
It obviously took some time to get to its final destination (The Avengers came out two and a half years ago), but Downey Jr. said that his utterly insane request was actually granted two weeks ago. A mysterious giant truck apparently pulled up to his building, and when he went to ask about what it was, they said that they had the "A" for him. Incredulous at first, he eventually accepted the gift. "So now we have a massive Avengers 'A' that will be prominently placed," the actor said, concluding the story.
Robert Downey Jr. has proven time and time again to be one of Marvel Studios' most powerful assets - as his performances have been driving their blockbusters since 2008 - and the company has given him a lot more than just giant letters in payment. The A-lister has admitted that he got Marvel to pay him $50 million for his role in The Avengers, and reports have said that he could get a massive payday if he agrees to star in Captain America 3. If those stories can be believed, then Downey Jr. will be getting $40 million for the film plus more if the blockbuster can outperform Captain America: The Winter Soldier at the box office.
We'll next be seeing Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark/Iron Man in Joss Whedon's The Avengers: Age of Ultron - which will be out on May 1, 2015 - and should he complete the deal for Captain America 3, he will be back in theaters again on May 6, 2016. He is also contracted to be in The Avengers 3, which doesn't currently have a release date, but is expected to come out some time in 2018.
