Latest news with #Avengers:Endgame
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Robert Downey Jr assembles eye-watering fortune from new Marvel deal
Robert Downey Jr was the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade and seemed to be finished with the franchise in 2019. RDJ kicked off the global phenomenon back in 2008 when he first appeared on the big screen as the fan-favourite Iron Man. After Iron Man's death in 'Avengers: Endgame' in 2019, it looked like the charismatic actor was finished with the superhero life and went on to win an Oscar for his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' four years later. Robert Downey Jr will play Doctor Doom in the next two Avengers films. Pic:for Disney Although, his Marvel retirement did not last long, as last year it was announced that RDJ will return to the franchise in next year's 'Avengers: Doomsday' and the following year's 'Avengers: Secret Wars'. This time, however, the 60-year-old is not returning as the beloved Iron Man and is instead taking up the villainous role of Doctor Doom. The announcement brought about confusion, excitement and overall mixed reactions from Marvel fans. It might not be too much of a mystery though as to why RDJ has returned so quickly after looking at the paycheck the iconic star is set to receive for playing Doom in the next two Avengers movies. Actor Robert Downey Jr. (Photo by) Variety originally reported that RDJ will be making over $80million on the films but according to 'people familiar with the deal', that figure could be closer to $95million. This will be the most RDJ has ever earned over a two-film spell with Marvel but it only adds to a gargantuan sum that he has already accumulated. Variety sources say that the actor has earned between $500million and $600million over the course of seven Marvel movies and three cameos. With a paycheck like this it seems certain that RDJ will be getting the most screen-time in Doomsday, which is set to release on December 18, 2026. RDJ won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2023. Pic:To put these earnings into perspective, the star's Doom payday is almost half of the entire budget for Marvel's recently released 'Fantastic Four: First Steps', which Disney pegged at somewhere north of $200million. It's no secret that Disney and Marvel can afford these big budgets with their blockbuster movies usually turning a mega-profit. Last year, their film 'Deadpool & Wolverine', starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, made $1.34billion worldwide. It had a rough budget of $200million. However, 'Avengers: Doomsday' looks set to be Marvel's most expensive movie to date with massive production costs and a seemingly never-ending cast list, including RDJ's massive deal. It has been speculated that Doomsday could cost upwards of $1billion to make. While that may sound like far too much to gamble on a movie, Marvel probably won't be sweating too much after their last two Avengers films – Infinity War and Endgame – grossed $2.048billion and $2.799billion respectively. No matter how they turn out in the end, one thing is for sure – Robert Downey Jr's bank account looks more and more like Iron Man's with every movie.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Any Other Marvel Fans Worried About Kevin Feige's Comments About The MCU's Future?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. In this day and age, we live in a world where Marvel surrounds us. Whether it is upcoming Marvel movies or maybe upcoming Marvel TV shows, there's a lot to look forward to in the MCU. But I have to admit something to you all – I'm a little concerned about the future of Marvel after what Kevin Feige just said regarding recasting old heroes. I'm the kind of person who really loves new ideas and stories, so revisiting old ones never really sat right with me. However, I want to get into the why in this article, so let's dive deep. It Has Been Hard To Adjust, But I've Been Liking The New Heroes If you're wondering what the quote was, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige spoke to Variety in July 2025 and said that eventually, they would 'recast' characters like Tony Stark and Captain America. He compared it to other major franchises that recast roles as time goes on, like James Bond and Superman. Recasting characters, in and of itself, is fine. I'm not going to be the person who gets up on her soapbox and says that we can't recast characters at all. I know how the world works, and I'm not about to get cancelled for that. But it's the messaging behind it as well as what we've already established in this world. I'm not going to lie – it was hard to adjust to all the new heroes that we were given over the last couple of years, ever since Avengers: Endgame. There have been numerous changes in structure, as well as speculation about who will become the next big villain and who won't. I have to admit, now that I'm here, I love the new heroes. Thunderbolts* depicted depression so wonderfully and was one of the best MCU films in a long time, featuring some incredible acting and storytelling from several new and returning characters who played much larger roles within the MCU. I also have loved that older characters have gotten more chances to shine. I'm the biggest supporter of Wanda having her time in the sun and all of those kick-butt Scarlet Witch instances. But when it comes to recasting those old heroes – the ones that we've grown so used to – it doesn't feel great, I'll tell you that. Recasting The Old Heroes Within This MCU Feels Like A Huge Step Back As I said in the section above, I'm not opposed to recasting overall. I don't mind it if it's done with intention, and it isn't just an excuse to make more money off of a new character. We've had three different recasts of Spider-Man at this point, and everyone still debates who the best Spider-Man is. This is essentially how Hollywood works. However, the issue I have with this kind of recasting is that it creates a singular universe. Sure, we have been made aware that there are millions of variants of the same character. We saw that at length, when it came to Loki. But at the same time, it feels like a stab in the back to recast a character when their stories have already come to an end. This feels worse than bringing back Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. It feels like it somehow tarnishes the legacy of Tony Stark. The story of his character was complete, and honestly, we don't need to see his character recast again in this same universe for us to love him still. He is, and will always be, Tony Stark. So, the idea of recasting him – even if it is a long time away – feels like a slap in the face to those who not only love his interpretation of the character but also the story of him as a whole, with the movies we've watched. The same goes for Steve, Natasha, Thor – everyone. How Are We Going to Explore New Characters and Stories If We're Revisiting the Same Ones? This is something else that worries me. Do you know how many heroes are in the Marvel line-up? There are a ridiculous number. Hundreds, if not thousands. How are we going to explore new heroes if we keep looking at the ones everyone knows? How are we going to build new fan bases if we continue to focus on the characters that Marvel insists we do? Let me tell you – I knew next to nothing about Ironheart, otherwise known as Riri Williams. I didn't know who she was or what she stood for. But you want to know what turned me onto her? The Ironheart TV show was great. Now, I have a new favorite character. Would I have been able to experience that if the show had been featured around Tony? No, because it would have been the same character that we all already know. Recasting characters takes away the chance to introduce new ones to the world. And in the world of Marvel, there are so many we could get into. Another character I ended up loving more this time around was Yelena, played by Florence Pugh. She's become one of my favorites, but she didn't appear until after Avengers: Endgame. If she had been around the same time as Natasha, she probably would have been overshadowed. I want these characters to survive on their own, not to become just sidekicks to recast characters that we all already know. What Does This Mean For The Multiverse? Is It Just Going To Forever Expand? And this is the biggest thing – if we're recasting characters within this MCU, what does that mean for the Marvel Multiverse as a whole? Are we recasting them as if they were variants from another planet, and that's how they're infused back into the story? Or are we just not bothering with that anymore and just throwing them right back into the ringer in order to take on the next big baddie? I don't know. To me, it sounds like this universe really is just never going to stop expanding, and now Marvel Studios might just be using this as an excuse to bring back these characters. That's where this really suffers. The only way to truly make this work is if they completely redo the entire universe. Start from the very beginning because then, there will be that exact distinction of who plays who and what universe we are in. If not, all of this sounds like a confusing mess. Things like this really make me wonder what Marvel will do in the future. I've been an avid Marvel supporter over the last few years, particularly with some of their releases, from a personal favorite of mine, Agatha: All Along, to their latest release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But recasting these characters might be where I draw the line. Only time will tell. I'm sure we'll see more in the next Avengers film. Until then, I'll enjoy my MCU movie marathons and live in the good old days of simple movies and fewer multiverses. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I watched Fantastic Four and Superman back-to-back, and now I'm more worried than ever that there's no way back for Marvel
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A lot of people have had really high hopes for The Fantastic Four: First Steps in the build-up to its release. I have been feeling more cautious – even as someone who rates Avengers: Endgame as one of the few movies I'd give five stars to – but in principle it definitely looked set to deliver what I'd want from it. Charismatic cast, cool retro-futurist production design, a very giant man – that kind of thing. Sadly, when the credits rolled, the first words I used to describe it were "aggressively fine". Somehow, despite succeeding in giving me everything I mentioned above, I found it bland and formless. [Spoilers for both Fantastic Four and Superman from here!] Everything seems to come incredibly easily to Marvel's first family. Reed happens to have already been working on the technology they need to win the day. Johnny translates and learns a whole alien language in a couple of months (I assume? The timeline of events is also pretty slippery). Sue is exactly powerful enough for whatever needs to happen at the time. I felt basically nothing about any of it. It wasn't thrilling, it wasn't exciting. Even the characters and the world they live in seem to feel the same way as me – everyone seems so flat and bored, inside the Baxter Building and outside it. I'd have assumed the America of Earth 828 is in a great depression or war, if the movie hadn't made clear that the Fantastic Four created a techno-utopia. Obviously, I don't expect to go into a superhero movie and feel any genuine worry that a lead character is going to die, or that the world might end. Instead, these movies are supposed to leave you wondering 'How are they going to get out of this one?' and then surprise you with a cool result. First Steps tells you exactly how they're going to get out of this one in advance, and then they get out of this one in essentially the exact way they promised. I can even get on board with that, if a movie is interesting along the way, thematically. If it does daring things with its character interactions and motivations, if it's exploring meaty themes, or if it least makes me think about something these movies haven't really tackled before. Thunderbolts* has a good dose of this, and is Marvel's best movie in years as a result. First Steps can't get any theme beyond first gear, so there's nothing for me to chew on here. But still, I found it to be a diverting one hour 55 minutes, even if it was disappointing as the hopeful 'Don't worry, Marvel's turning a corner' movie I'd expected it to be. But then I went straight into my second viewing of Superman, and the contrast between them makes FF look even worse in my eyes, and Superman look even more impressive. Tales from the Krypto keeper Superman manages a more engaging character dynamic in its first three minutes than Fantastic Four manages in its entire run-time, and only one of the characters involved can speak. Krypto's lack of obedience in the opening sets up that this movie will have the exact opposite to FF's problem, where everything comes too easy: in Superman, being the most powerful metahuman in the world doesn't stop things being really damn hard. (In general, I think the writing around Krypto is genius. Having an obedient dog who's as strong as Superman basically means you have two Supermans. Supermen? In any case, that would be a lot for the first movie narrative to handle. Making Krypto a force of uncontrolled, chaotic good solves that problem.) Where Fantastic Four travels inexorably from plot point to plot point on rails, Superman swings between surprises. Lex has a pocket universe! Superman and Lois have a tense journalistic sparring! Now there's a kaiju! This one dude turns into kryptonite! Why are all these things happening? Because it's a comic book movie, partly, and this is like flicking through a comics run where different issues have vastly different stuff going on. But it's partly also because this movie has a lot on its mind. Without getting bogged down in taking any metaphor so seriously that it becomes a full-on allegory, Superman asks questions about the morals of intervening in the conflicts of other countries, of the motives of people who have the resources to manipulate the world in the background (okay, creating a literal rift between people might be leaning more towards allegory), and of how immigrants find their personal identity, among others. These create a world where Superman's principles and morals make him a nuanced and interesting character. When fighting the kaiju, the recklessness of the Justice Gang (we'll assume they've settled on that name for now…) means he has to spend all of his energy not fighting the monster, and trying to persuade people he can't fight to be cool about it. One of my favorite moments in the movie is when he tells Lois he's going to turn himself in to the government, but it's not because he's a Boy Scout who respects the process and the law – he casually throws out that it's the only way to find Krypto. Turning himself in is required to satisfy his morals, but not in the way we might've seen in the past. Despite being a mile-a-minute movie that bounces through all kind of bonkers comic-book scenarios, it still finds the time to give you something to chew on when you leave the screen. It was worth watching a second time to dig into the themes I picked up the first time, and to see more seething nuance from Nicholas Hoult's fantastic performance as Lex Luthor, especially. It seems like it must be a three-hour movie, yet it's only 130 minutes. Fantastic Four, by contrast, I can't believe filled 115 minutes. Events just slipped by me, like I was drifting down a lazy river in a floating ring. As someone who mostly goes hard for the idea that movies generally need to be shorter, maybe this one needed more time for there to actually be some friction in it. But maybe that wouldn't have helped either… Is there any juice left to squeeze Marvel has been down for a while, but I've hoped that with the right course correction we could see a return to form. A slower schedule, a willingness to be more daring, a narrower focus on the story of each movie… the one-two punch of Thunderbolts* and First Steps seemed like they should be the chance to showcase that, and build towards Doomsday being genuinely exciting. Unfortunately, they've mostly convinced me that Marvel has lost its juice in a way that's maybe irretrievable. I think Thunderbolts* is a good movie, and yet despite being built around this heavy metaphor for mental health (which I think it delivers really well), it left me with no impression after I left the cinema. Even though it's a more thinky film, I didn't really think about it. It said what it has to say about its themes, and asks no questions beyond them. Fantastic Four doesn't even manage that. It has all the ingredients, but is totally unexciting and only just qualifies as charming. The Incredibles is 21 years old and does everything better than this movie, despite being a barely-concealed Fantastic Four rip-off. Superman left me with things to talk about and think about – character motivations, themes, clever writing. I don't particularly care if DC successfully launches its new cinematic universe off the back of Superman. I won't be excited just by the thought that a movie will tie into Superman. I'll get the thrill of anticipation if I trust a movie's going to be good. I'm excited to see the next movie that comes from the DC creative team. I don't feel that way about Marvel any more, and First Steps is the final nail in that coffin. You might also like I only needed to see 30 seconds of James Gunn's Superman to have full confidence in the DCU's Supergirl movie Avengers: Doomsday's second lead is rumored to be Chris Hemsworth's Thor, and I know exactly how he's trained for the next Marvel movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps director has a blunt message for fans who criticised the Marvel movie's visual effects: 'I think they're beautiful' Solve the daily Crossword
Digital Trends
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Could DC actually be the future of comic book movies?
Since the fateful day in 2008 when Iron Man hit theaters, Marvel has enjoyed an almost uncontested reign as the king of comic book movies. In an age when superheroes were everywhere at the movie theater, Marvel was the studio that best understood how to bring them to life and make even people who had never read a comic book in their lives care about them. All of that reached what felt like a pretty natural climax with 2019's Avengers: Endgame, which became one of the biggest movies in the history of forever and capped off more than a decade of sprawling storytelling. Even as Endgame retired several of the franchise's core heroes, Marvel seemed determined to keep things going. Recommended Videos The results over the last six years have been less than pretty. Despite experiencing some successes, Marvel has faced significantly more failures compared to earlier periods, creating an opportunity for other franchises to flourish. DC was caught flat-footed when Marvel first came out of the gate. They had Christopher Nolan's Batman movies, but other than that, Warner Bros. simply didn't have a good way to compete. Their first attempt was the DC Extended Universe, which launched with 2013's Man of Steel and was a brief commercial success but was never as critically beloved as its Marvel alternative. Even more crucially, these movies never felt like they were genuine phenomena in quite the same way Marvel was. So, while Marvel continues the cinematic universe it started in 2008, DC is launching a new one this year. James Gunn's Superman is the first entry in that new universe, and it's also the first time I wondered whether Marvel might really be in trouble. While the numbers were close, Superman outgrossed Marvel's Fantastic Four: First Steps during its first weekend, and for the first time in more than a decade, DC might have the edge when it comes to word of mouth. Here's why DC could represent the future of comic book storytelling: DC is ready to embrace the silliness of its project Part of the Marvel movies' tremendous success has come from the way they manage to delicately balance two conflicting impulses in superhero storytelling. The first was toward telling stories that were real, grounded, and tactile. The second was to embrace the silliness inherent in superhero stories and use that to make the movies fun and colorful. Marvel essentially struck a balance, creating a universe populated by witty characters who donned the right costumes while also being aware of the humor in their situations. That wry, knowing attitude helped the movies do all the comic book stuff even as they also assured audiences that they knew it was a little bit nerdy. It's a tone that delivered tremendous results, but one that also began to wear thin after more than a decade. By contrast, Superman leaned all the way into the silly side. It's a movie filled with color where most scenes are set during the day, and one where every character feels both like a real person and like they were pulled from a comic. There's much less winking at the audience and much more earnest exploration of why people are drawn toward comic books to begin with. It's a signal that DC is not just going to try to do the Marvel thing. They're building a universe their own way, and that should be fascinating to watch. They are building out from the middle Marvel was doing something that had never been done before, and as a result, they started small. A few heroes, then a few more, until the universe felt massive and you were amazed that all of these characters could fit in a single movie together. By contrast, DC seems to know that we're all a little tired of origin stories. Instead, Superman drops us right in the middle of the action and trusts us to understand that superheroes have been around for a while. Crucially, while he's the most powerful superhero, Superman is not fighting bad guys on his own. Instead, he's dealing with the complexity of working with other people from the beginning in a universe where no one has any questions about what superheroes are. This approach feels much more like jumping right into a comic book where your favorite heroes are all right there. Some of them might not be present, but on the whole, the impression is one of a universe that is stuffed with both life and activity. In addition to avoiding the traps of origin stories, this approach also meets superhero fans where they are. We no longer need our hands to be held. We can simply dive in with only a little bit of intro text to orient us to what's going on. They are casting well, but aren't casting stars This might seem like a small thing, but it speaks to the project of the DCU that Superman is filled with great actors who are not major movie stars. If they keep making these movies, they will eventually become stars. That's part of the problem that Marvel is dealing with now. When you're trying to build a universe in which heroes can appear in multiple properties, you have to have great actors who can work in multiple tones and genres. You need actors who aren't going to try to take all your money for every appearance they put in. DC is trying to build a world that doesn't leave you wondering why Superman isn't on screen any time the world is ending, and part of that is making sure that Superman does show up, at least sometimes. DC wants you to believe in these movies Perhaps most importantly, DC seems like a sincere attempt to remind people why they like these movies to begin with. As the lore of Marvel gets more and more convoluted, DC could be building a new way forward, one that could make it a sincere, sweet, candy-colored alternative to the multiverse that Marvel has introduced.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, & Callum Turner Star in Eternity Trailer
A24 has shared the official trailer for its newest romantic comedy about a woman who is faced with the difficult decision of choosing who to spend her afterlife with. The movie will have its world premiere at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. 'In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive,' reads the official synopsis. Check out the Eternity trailer below (watch more trailers): Who is in the Eternity trailer? The video introduces its main cast led by Golden Globe nominee Elizabeth Olsen, as her character must choose between her first love and husband. This marks Olsen's first comedy movie in a long while, after only starring in Marvel and drama movies such as Avengers: Endgame, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, His Three Daughters, and The Assessment. Eternity is directed by David Freyne from a screenplay he co-wrote with Pat Cunnane. Besides Olsen, the cast also includes Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick), Callum Turner (The Boys in the Boat), Olga Merediz (Orange Is the New Black), and John Early (Search Party), with Academy Award winner Da'Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers). In addition to starring, Olsen and Teller have also signed on as executive producers. It is also produced by Tim White and Trevor White, with Michael Williams serving as an executive producer. The post Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, & Callum Turner Star in Eternity Trailer appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Solve the daily Crossword
