The eternal Iron Man had to put his foot down for his colleagues to continue with their roles.
Marvel made it clear during its early years that it wasn’t afraid to fire actors and hire others to bring its characters to life, but things got particularly complicated when it came time to make Avengers: Age of Ultron. So much so that Robert Downey Jr. had to punch the table to prevent Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson from being fired.
Money, it’s always money…
The reason for the conflict was the fact that Marvel did not pay its actors very well during the studio’s early jobs. For example, a source revealed to the expiration that some of the leads were paid as little as $200,000 for their roles in Avengers, while Downey Jr. received staggering millions for the film.
Even precedent didn’t look good for Downey Jr. to fight for his teammates, as Terrence Howard had accused him years before of taking the money that was supposed to be intended for him in Iron Man 2 and then kicking him out – his role it then went to Don Cheadle. However, this time things turned out differently.
Hemsworth and Johansson have been the most aggressive about Marvel’s threat to fire actors who don’t sign a new contract under the studio’s stipulated terms. For example, Hemsworth’s team argued that the actor had already received $5 million for Snow White and the Huntsman and would have no problem continuing to work with Universal if Marvel refused to budge. Johansson, for her part, clarified that she absolutely would not accept a lower salary and that, first of all, she would leave.
In this way a more advantageous deal was closed for the actors, and the main culprit was Downey Jr., who assumed the position of older brother to his colleagues. Another source told Deadline:
“He’s the only one who really has power in this situation. And he’s got balls of steel too. He’s sent the message that he’s not going to work in a place where his co-workers are treated like trash.”
In the end the blood didn’t flow to the river and all the actors remained at Marvel. In fact, when there was a financial dispute again, it was with Disney, as Johansson didn’t hesitate to sue the studio for breach of contract regarding Black Widow’s release strategy. The bitter confrontation was resolved with an out-of-court settlement, but the actress commented shortly after that it was important for someone like her to pave the way to prevent this type of abuse. Like Downey Jr. he had done years ago.
Read the article on QueroCinema
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
