The Iron Man actor will rake in significantly more than his co-stars because he has a deal in place with Marvel Studios entitling him to box office bonuses and back-end compensation.
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Marvel is said to have agreed a lucrative contract with Downey following the box office performance of the original Iron Man, which earned $585 million worldwide. The studio sees the series as a key source of revenue going forward.
Downey's Avengers co-stars Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo are said to have joined the project for "small upfront fees" and will make around $2 million to $3 million with bonuses, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Samuel L Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, who have contracts in place for multiple films, will make approximately double that sum.
Avengers is one of only 12 films in history to pass the $1 billion (£623 million) mark at the worldwide box office, a feat it achieved in just 19 days.
Watch a trailer for The Avengers below:
