Robert Downey Jr. Reportedly Making $100 Million for AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY and SECRET WARS as MCU Future Teased

When Robert Downey Jr.walked onto the stage at San Diego Comic-Con to officially return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, it instantly became one of Marvel's biggest headlines of the year.

Now we've got a much better idea of just how much it took to bring the Oscar-winning actor back, and the number is every bit as jaw-dropping as you'd expect.

A new report has revealed Downey's salary forAvengers: Doomsday andAvengers: Secret Wars, along with the combined production budget for both movies. On top of that, there's an intriguing tease that his deal with Marvel Studios may extend beyond these two Avengers films.

Downey already holds one of the most lucrative careers in comic book movie history. During his run as Tony Stark, he reportedly earned at least $500 million across the four Avengers movies, the Iron Man trilogy, Captain America: Civil War, and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

That incredible run made him synonymous with the MCU, so bringing him back as Victor Von Doom was never going to come cheap.

According to Page Six, Downey is set to earn an astonishing $100 million for appearing in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

He's not the only original Avenger cashing in, either. The report says Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth will each earn $40 million for the two films, meaning Marvel is spending at least $180 million on just those three stars alone.

Even with those enormous salaries, the report claims the combined budget for Doomsday and Secret Wars sits at around $600 million. Surprisingly, that's actually less than the reported cost of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which together were said to reach as much as $800 million.

According to the outlet, "One source says that Downey’s colossal payday covers something more than just the two films, perhaps a cameo in another Marvel offering."

Does it mean Downey will stick around after the Multiverse Saga wraps up? It's certainly possible. Maybe Marvel finds a way to resurrect Tony Stark. Maybe Victor Von Doom survives the events of Secret Wars and remains a major player moving forward.

Fans know there's already a blueprint for that possibility. In the comics, after Secret Wars, Doom eventually took a surprising turn and became the Infamous Iron Man, stepping into more of a heroic role while wearing armor inspired by Tony Stark.

It's one of the more fascinating chapters in Doom's comic history and could give Marvel a completely different direction to explore with Downey.

Of course, the mysterious "something more" in his contract could end up being far less dramatic. It might involve a producing arrangement, another Disney project altogether, or simply promotional commitments tied to Marvel's future releases.

For now, all we know is that Marvel clearly sees Downey's return as a major investment, and it's easy to understand why. His surprise casting as Doctor Doom instantly became one of the MCU's biggest talking points, and expectations for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars only continue to climb.

What do you think? Is Robert Downey Jr. worth a reported $100 million to put on Doctor Doom's armor, and would you like to see him remain in the MCU after Secret Wars?