Robert Downey Jr. is facing backlash following the revelation of the terms of his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Downey Jr. gained significant recognition within Marvel through his portrayal of Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. This role afforded him numerous appearances on the big screen, both in solo films and as part of the Avengers franchise.
The actor, known for his part in Oppenheimer, bid farewell to the Iron Man character in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Fans were therefore taken aback when he announced a comeback to the MCU in an entirely different role.
Downey Jr. confirmed he will portray Doctor Doom in the upcoming Fantastic Four film. He will rejoin the franchise alongside directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who previously helmed Infinity War and Endgame.
Variety reported earlier this year on the details of the deal, citing sources who claimed Marvel is paying $80 million to the Russo brothers alone.
A source, considered ‘knowledgeable’ by Variety, mentioned that Downey Jr. has earned between $500 million and $600 million from his past Marvel work. However, his new deal reportedly involves more than just financial compensation.
The Oscar-winning actor is said to have received numerous benefits, such as private jet travel, personal security, and an extensive ‘trailer encampment’. These perks have sparked criticism from some quarters.
The private jet, in particular, is a controversial issue with critics online, as Yahoo! Life described its use as ‘problematic’.
The publication referenced a report from Transport & Environment, which highlighted that private jets are up to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial flights, and 50 times more than trains.
Critics have also pointed out Downey Jr.’s previous advocacy for sustainable travel options. Just last year, he gave away six environmentally-modified vehicles from his show Downey’s Dream Cars to promote sustainable solutions and support his FootPrint Coalition, which invests in climate change technologies.
Referring to this inconsistency, a Twitter user shared the Variety article, commenting: “Robert Downey Jr made a TV show detailing how awesome he is for ruining classic cars to make them run on vegetable oil.
“So [receiving] $100MM and a private jet to return to the MCU is funny. Because the only ones who think celebrities aren’t hypocrites are celebrities.”
Downey Jr. has shared his enthusiasm about rejoining the Marvel Universe in a new capacity. Speaking to USA Today, he said: “I looked into this character, and I was like, ‘Wow’.”