June 21, 2013 by Paul Curtin
While Robert Downey, Jr. might be done making Iron Man movies, Marvel has just locked him in for The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3 where he will reprise his role as Tony Stark. Downey’s contract with Marvel ended after Iron Man 3, so it was uncertain if he would come back to the franchise, even with so much money on the table.
For those that don’t know, Marvel took a big risk casting Downey in the role of Tony Stark. It’s been reported that Downey actually made less money than Terrence Howard in the first movie and later renegotiated his contract, pulling in $50 million just for The Avengers .
Because a potential fourth Iron Man film is not part of the new deal that Marvel announced today, many are speculating that they could even kill off the character in The Avengers 3 since Downey himself said he probably only wanted to play the character until he was 50, which happens in 2015. If all goes according to plan, Marvel’s The Avengers 2 should hit theaters in 2015, and The Avengers 3 should happen in 2018. And if all goes to Robert Downey, Jr.’s plan, he should be richer than Tony Stark soon.
Here’s what Marvel had to say today via official press release:
“I am Iron Man.”
Tony Stark’s famous closing line to the very first Iron Man film takes on new life today as Marvel is pleased to announce the signing of Robert Downey, Jr. to reprise the role of the “billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist.”
Under the two-picture agreement, Downey will star as Tony Stark/Iron Man in “Marvel’s The Avengers 2” and “Marvel’s The Avengers 3.” Downey is represented at CAA by Bryan Lourd, Jim Toth and Matt Leaf and by his attorneys Tom Hansen and Stewart Brookman of the firm Hansen Jacobson.
Downey, Jr.’s last two Marvel films, 2012’s “Marvel’s The Avengers” and this year’s “Iron Man 3,” rank as two of the top five grossing films of all time, collectively earning over $2.7 billion worldwide to date.
“Marvel’s The Avengers 2” is being written and directed by Joss Whedon. Featuring favorites from the first Avengers film and new Marvel characters never before seen on the big screen, “Marvel’s The Avengers 2” is slated to begin production in March 2014 and open in theaters May 1, 2015.
