Robert Downey Jr to earn more than £60m for next two Avengers films - making him the highest-paid star ever

Downey Jr, who played the character of Iron Man from 2008-2019, is now making a comeback to the MCU - but instead taking on the role of Fantastic Four villain Dr Doom. With his return, the American actor is set for a record-breaking payday that dwarfs anything that has come before it.

The Oscar-winning star of Oppenheimer is expected to receive a salary of more than £62m, along with additional earnings from “performance escalators,” which will give him a share of the box office revenue. Downey Jr's contract also includes perks like private jet travel, dedicated security, and even his own “trailer encampment” on set.

This new deal will surpass the earnings of Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense, Tom Cruise in the Top Gun reboot, and Will Smith in Men in Black 3, making Downey Jr the highest-paid movie star of all time.

Previously, the Iron Man star was the highest-paid member of the MCU earning £400m as Tony Stark across four Avengers movies, three Iron Man films, and appearances in The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: Civil War, and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

His new role as Doctor Doom was announced on Monday at Comic-Con in San Diego. Wearing a striking green suit, he was introduced on stage by the Russo Brothers, who will also earn £62m to direct the next two Avengers installments. For some, the casting is a bizarre choice, especially given Downey Jr has already played a prolific MCU character.

However, the ongoing multiverse saga has allowed for variants of beloved characters to make a return - such as John Krasinski playing Mr Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In one comic series, Doctor Doom is revealed to be a variant of Tony Stark, but it’s unknown whether this is the direction the new movie, Avengers: Doomsday.

Marvel has been a dominant force in global cinema for almost two decades, but recent films like the third Ant-Man movie and The Marvels have underperformed by Disney’s standards. Movie executives will be hopeful Downey Jr's return will bring back billion-pound box office successes for the franchise.