Avengers: Endgame was recently re-released in theaters, with some extra footage added to help the fandom get pumped ahead of seeing Spider-Man: Far From Home. The re-release also seems like an attempt for Endgame to beat out Avatar as the #1 most profitable movie of all time. That event hasn't happened yet, but the blockbuster is still making money.
Clearly The Russo Brothers' massive movie has been raking in the dough, which is usually the goal for big studios. Avengers: Endgame marked the final appearance of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark. RDJ has had a long tenure in the shared universe, and now its been revealed that Endgame's stunning box office performance has resulted in an ever bigger payday for the 54 year-old actor. Namely, an unbelievable $55 million.
This news come to us from Forbes, and reveals the break down of money and stipulations in Robert Downey Jr.'s contract for Avengers: Endgame. It turns out that the Iron Man actor negotiated for 8% of the movie's back-end. Considering the movie has made $700 million in profit, that translates to roughly $55 million for the OG Avenger. That's enough money to make even Tony Stark flinch.
Robert Downey Jr. was originally paid around $20 million to appear in Avengers: Endgame. RDJ usually makes more money than the rest of the cast, given his long tenure in the shared universe. So the actor might end up making upwards of $75 million dollars for a single movie. It's an impressive payday, although it stands to reason that Downey Jr's final bow as Tony Stark might be his most profitable.
Related: After Second Re-Release Weekend, Avengers: Endgame Is Getting Closer To Avatar
The financial rewards given to Robert Downey Jr. are linked with the inception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his debut in 2008 with Jon Favreau's Iron Man. It was a big risk to sign on as Tony Stark, considering superhero movies weren't exactly the phenomenon they are now. Add in the concept of serialized storytelling, and RDJ broke plenty of new ground by being the first superhero in the shared universe.
Robert Downey Jr. has also put a ton of heart into all of his Marvel appearances. In total, he played Tony Stark in ten blockbusters, including a brief cameo in The Incredible Hulk. His role in Avengers: Endgame was arguably the most heartbreaking, as the fandom got to watch Tony happy with a family after the give year time jump. Iron Man ultimately sacrifices his own life to snap Thanos and his forces out of existence, and is given a fitting sendoff.
In addition to acting as Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. also collaborated on the script of Avengers: Endgame. For instance, he brought "I love you 3,000" into existence. RDJ also originally didn't want to say his final line in the movie, which was actually the last scene filmed.
Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
