Challenges For Marvel: Resigning Robert Downey Jr For Avengers 2 & 3

With it's most bankable character still on the fence, Marvel faces even more challenges when wanting to bring back the one we know as Iron Man. If you are unaware of Marvels tactics they are widely known as low-ballers who want multi picture deals for the smallest amount of money possible. Chris Evens was hoping for a 9 picture deal and ended up with 6, the same goes for Mark Ruffalo. We saw the low-balling of Mickey Rourke in Iron Man 2 who got an offer for $250,000 the same deal that was given to Samuel L Jackson for his role as Nick Fury. You may be shaking your head in disbelief but it's a smart business move, hiring none expensive unknown actors for it lead roles. Nobody knew who Chris Hemsworth or Tom Hiddelston were before their respective roles in Thor and The Avengers. They are now in some ways house hold names (more by character) and their demand for more money is only emanate. This is preciously were the problem occurs. RDJ has taken the role as the "ring leader" of sorts in regards to the negotiation of more money for each member of his Avengers team. He holds all the power being the only person who had a desirable contract in the past, and is looking to score big again.

Is Robert Downey Jr replaceable? Everything is replaceable and Downey is no exception. He has made his staple as Iron man but that doesn't mean someone can't bring another aspect to the Iron Man character. We have the quick witted narcissistic character, maybe another actor can slow things down and bring out some emotion. I having a feeling that Chris Hemsworth may be the odd man out, since he also isn't signed for The Avengers 2. He will clearly ask for more money, when his films don't gross enough to warrant that. If the money isn't right they will replace his Avengers character with a different one, not another actor in that respective role. Phase 2 and more so Phase 3 will introduce a ton of new character (Ant-Man, The Guardians of The Galaxy, Dr. Strange) all of which have the opportunity to be big players in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here is a quote from Deadline's reps who state RDJ's position and how everyone has begun to follow his lead.

“He’s the only guy with real power in this situation. and balls of steel, too. He’s already sent a message that he’s not going to work for a place where they treat his colleagues like shit.”

If Downey doesn't want everyone to make less money why not lower his own salary? It's easy to act like a good guy and say things to help your colleagues, but its something entirely to lower your own ridiculous salary to help them. Robert Downey Jr is arrogant and greedy much like everyone else in Hollywood. It has been said that a 9% drop in revenue would be the estimate loss if Iron Man didn't show up in an Avengers film. How that calculation is made I have no clue but that is what the Internet tells me. Downey has made upwards to 70 million with the Avengers and 35 million in just 2 weeks of the Iron Man 3 run. That is double if not triple the amount of money that everyone else in their respective film make. Marvel has put themselves in quite the pickle, it will be interesting to see how they get out of it. If it was me replace Iron Man with War Machine in the Avengers, and drop anyone else who follows suit. Of course you can't do that to everyone but dropping Iron Man will definitely send a message that they aren't as high and mighty as they may think. Both actors and Marvel are in the wrong, a compromise is what is needed to make everyone happy.