On October 28, according to Cinema Blend, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige leaked that they once considered bringing Tom Cruise into the role of Tony Stark (the superhero Iron Man) in their film universe. However, he had to abandon this idea due to the actor’s exorbitant salary demands, while the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just starting to establish itself and was not yet financially stable.
Specifically, Kevin Feige stated: “Many years ago, the rights to make the Iron Man film were still held by 20th Century Fox. Tom Cruise, at the age of 34, was very eager to take on the Stark role. However, the salary he demanded was too high. A large studio like Fox wouldn’t dare invest such a large amount into a superhero project that had not yet been proven.”
After this, Marvel sought other candidates to replace Tom Cruise, including Timothy Olyphant and Jim Caviezel. Ultimately, the role was entrusted to Robert Downey Jr., a renowned actor who later made a significant mark in Hollywood. He initially accepted a salary of $2.5 million for the lead role in Iron Man (2008). However, due to the rapid growth of the Marvel brand, this superhero character helped Robert Downey Jr. earn approximately $435 million (equivalent to nearly $10.7 billion).
Iron Man (2008) is also regarded as the groundbreaking film that laid the foundation for the powerhouse that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just over ten years later, this brand has risen to become the highest-grossing film franchise of all time, with revenues exceeding $30 billion.
