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Hollywood’s superhero star Robert Downey Jr. has become a household name in the industry after the portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His career spans decades, debuting with movies like Chaplin, where he earned critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination.
Although Robert struggled in the late 1990s and 2000s, his extraordinary comeback with Iron Man catapulted him to global stardom and marked the beginning of MCU’s massive success. His performances in MCU films, combined with other roles, made him one of the highest-paid actors in the world, but there was one specific film that earned him some serious earnings after pissing off the Marvel directors.
MCU owes big time to Robert as the first ever Marvel film, Iron Man, laid the foundation for the billion-dollar franchise. Since it was he who gave life to Marvel, the studio understood that he would receive hefty paychecks, including $50 million for his role in 2012, The Avengers. When asked if the figures are true, Robert once admitted in a throwback interview with GQ, “Yeah. Isn’t that crazy? They’re so pissed. I can’t believe it. I’m what’s known as a strategic cost.”
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Not only did Robert go home with a mind boggling salary, but the movie also grossed $1.5 billion at the box office, making The Avengers one of the top ten highest-grossing films of all time.
