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Highlights

• RDJ's portrayal of Iron Man in the MCU launched him into global superstardom, earning over $14 billion worldwide.
• Downey Jr.'s iconic role as Tony Stark in Iron Man forged a path for the massive success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• Despite personal struggles, RDJ's triumphant return to sobriety marked a turning point, leading to Oscar wins and massive paychecks.

"I am Iron Man": These words not only echo Tony Stark's iconic declaration in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also symbolize Robert Downey Jr.'s cult status across the entire industry.

Downey Jr. has seen over five decades in Hollywood; his films as a leading actor have grossed over $14 billion worldwide, simultaneously making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.

Downey Jr. made his acting debut in his father Robert Downey Sr.'s film Pound, in 1970 at the age of five. He then saw success in films like Less Than Zero and Chaplin.

Downey Jr. faced personal struggles with substance abuse, leading to legal troubles in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

However, his triumphant return to sobriety marked a turning point in his career, paving the way for a resurgence in the late 2000s.

After his comeback, Downey delivered critically lauded performances in the black comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Zodiac — but his role as Iron Man launched him into global superstardom, and yielded some of his biggest paychecks.

At the 96th Academy Awards in 2024, RDJ won his first Oscar in the "Supporting Actor" category, for his compelling portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.

Named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world – and ranked by Forbes as Hollywood's highest-paid actor between 2013 and 2015 – Downey's net worth stands at an estimated $300 million.

Let's look at the highest-grossing Robert Downey Jr. movies.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Remarkable Journey, From Rock Bottom To Box Office Gold

10 Iron Man (2008)

Global Box Office, Iron Man - $585,796,247

Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of billionaire genius Tony Stark in Iron Man ignited not only his career, but the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The film, directed by Jon Favreau, boldly gambled on Downey Jr., then considered a risky casting choice.

His portrayal of Tony Stark, the brilliant but arrogant industrialist forced to confront his past after a life-altering experience, was both electrifying and vulnerable.

Downey Jr. accepted a low salary of $500,000 with a backend profit cut, potentially as high as eight percent. The film surpassed all expectations, becoming a resounding success.

Iron Man grossed a global box office total of $585.8 million, dividing its total almost equally between the domestic ($319 million) and international ($266 million) markets.

Iron Man's box office success, achieved on a production budget of $140 million, proved that audiences were hungry for complex heroes.

Downey Jr. was the perfect vessel to usher Iron Man into the cinematic spotlight, kickstarting the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it.

9 Iron Man 2 (2010)

Global Box Office, Iron Man 2 - $623,933,331

Iron Man 2 saw Tony Stark, still played by the now-iconic Robert Downey Jr., grappling with the physical and political fallout of his superhero identity.

The world craved Stark's "Iron Man tech," but Stark was hesitant to share it. This internal conflict fueled the film's plot, while Downey Jr.'s charisma continued to keep audiences entertained with his shenanigans.

Downey negotiated a significant pay increase for the sequel, reportedly earning $10 million plus lucrative backend deals.

The film, praised for its action and performances, earned $312.4 million in North America and $311.5 million in other territories, totaling $623.9 million worldwide.

Despite facing some criticism compared to its predecessor, Iron Man 2 solidified Downey's position as a mainstay of the MCU, setting the stage for his continued success in the franchise.

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8 Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Global Box Office, Spider-Man: Homecoming - $880,166,924

Spider-Man: Homecoming signaled a thrilling changing of the guard.

Robert Downey Jr., now an MCU veteran, subtly passed the torch to a new web-slinger, while still injecting his signature Stark charm and wit.

Downey Jr.'s mentorship of Peter Parker (Tom Holland) proved a fan favorite, and the film soared to global box office success at $880 million.

Downey's brief, but pivotal appearance in the film earned him a $15 million payday. Homecoming enjoyed a $117 million opening weekend and strong critical reception.

Spider-Man: Homecoming grossed over $334.2 million in the United States and Canada and $546 million in other territories, for a total of $880.2 million worldwide.

With a production budget of $175 million and net profits calculated at over $200 million, it stands as one of 2017's most successful blockbusters.

7 Oppenheimer (2023)

Global Box Office, Oppenheimer - $958,711,340

Robert Downey Jr.'s career reached a new peak with Christopher Nolan's epic Oppenheimer.

Though not the main character, Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Lewis Strauss, a key figure in the Manhattan Project, earned him critical acclaim and a reported $4 million paycheck.

The film itself, a biographical war drama centered on J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, was a box office hit.

Widely regarded as Nolan's magnum opus and one of the best films of 2023, the movie was praised for its direction, historical accuracy, and faithfulness to the source material.

Oppenheimer has grossed $329.3 million in the United States and Canada and $630 million in other territories, for a total of $959 million worldwide.

At the 96th Academy Awards in 2024, RDJ won an Academy Award in the supporting actors' category for his role in Oppenheimer.

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6 Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Global Box Office, Captain America: Civil War - $1,155,046,416

Robert Downey Jr. donned the Iron Man suit once again in Captain America: Civil War, a pivotal film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

This superhero extravaganza, which pitted Iron Man against Captain America in a clash over government oversight, shattered box office records.

Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Tony Stark proved to be a major draw, reportedly netting him a sum in the ballpark of $64 million, including salary, bonuses, and profit-sharing.

Civil War was the highest-grossing film of 2016, grossing $408.1 million in the US and Canada and $746.9 million in other territories, for a total of $1.155 billion worldwide.

Deadline Hollywood reported that Captain America: Civil War made $193.4 million in net profit, placing it among the most profitable films of 2016.

5 Iron Man 3 (2013)

Global Box Office, Iron Man 3 - $1,215,577,205

In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark grappled with the aftermath of The Avengers, facing a formidable enemy while battling his own demons amid a terrorist campaign led by the Mandarin.

Robert Downey Jr., now synonymous with the armored hero, delivered another scintillating performance as Iron Man.

Downey Jr. received $50 million upfront, along with backend profits, which brought his total to $75 million. The figure made him the highest-paid actor in 2013, according to Forbes.

According to Box Office Mojo, Iron Man 3 achieved the sixth-largest worldwide opening weekend, with $372.5 million.

It went on to gross $409 million in North America and $806.6 million in other countries for a global total of $1.215 billion, out-grossing both of its predecessors combined.

Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit at $391.8 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues for the film.

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4 Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

Global Box Office, Avengers: Age Of Ultron - $1,405,018,048

Robert Downey Jr.'s continued portrayal of the brilliant but flawed Tony Stark/Iron Man was a major draw in the 2015 superhero blockbuster Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

In a dangerous turn of events, the Avengers are pitted against Ultron, an artificial intelligence created by Stark and Bruce Banner.

The film, one of the most expensive ever made with a $365 million production budget, received generally positive critical reception. Downey Jr. received a substantial pay increase, earning $80 million for his role.

Avengers: Age Of Ultron became the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2015, raking in $459 million domestically and $946 million internationally for a global total of $1.403 billion.

After factoring in costs like marketing and talent, Deadline Hollywood estimated the film's net profit to be around $382 million.

3 The Avengers (2012)

Global Box Office, The Avengers - $1,520,538,536

The superhero event film The Avengers united Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man/Tony Stark with other Marvel heroes in an unprecedented cinematic spectacle.

Downey reprised his now-beloved role as Tony Stark/Iron Man, joining forces with characters like Captain America, Thor, and the Hulk for the first time on the big screen.

This massive team-up was orchestrated by Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. in a desperate attempt to stop the villainous Loki from enslaving Earth.

The Avengers was a critical and commercial success, praised for its action, humor, and Joss Whedon's direction.

RDJ was paid a $10 million salary, which reflected his growing importance to the franchise, though later back-end deals brought this closer to $50 million.

With a worldwide opening of $392.5 million, it became the fourth-largest for Walt Disney Studios at the time.

The Avengers grossed $623.4 million in the US and Canada and $895.5 million in other countries, totaling $1.520 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 2012.

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2 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Global Box Office, Avengers: Infinity War - $2,052,415,039

Downey Jr. suited up as Iron Man for the penultimate time in the MCU's Avengers: Infinity War, a culmination of years of storytelling within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

This epic film saw the Avengers team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy to face their biggest threat yet: Thanos, the Mad Titan, who seeks to collect the Infinity Stones and wipe out half of all life in the universe.

Downey Jr.'s central role reportedly earned him over $75 million. Infinity War's production budget of $325 million ranks it among the most expensive films ever made.

The film received acclaim for its visual effects, action sequences, and emotional weight. Its worldwide opening weekend of $640.5 million set a new record at the time.

Avengers: Infinity War grossed $678.8 million in North America and $1.374 billion in other territories, totaling $2.052 billion worldwide.

Deadline Hollywood calculated its net profit as $500 million, making it the most valuable blockbuster of 2018.

1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Global Box Office, Avengers: Endgame - $2,799,439,100

Capping off his decade-long reign as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. delivered a poignant performance in Avengers: Endgame.

The grand finale to the Infinity Saga saw the surviving Avengers, including Iron Man, attempt to undo Thanos' devastating actions.

Downey Jr.'s emotional performance, potentially his last as the beloved hero, reportedly earned him a paycheck of $75 million, with additional backend deals.

With a budget estimated at $356 million, Endgame was another heavyweight contender in the world of expensive filmmaking.

Despite the cost, the film became a cultural phenomenon. Endgame surpassed its predecessor's global total in just eleven days, ultimately reaching $2.799 billion worldwide.

In North America, it grossed $858.4 million, while international audiences contributed $1.941 billion, making it the highest-grossing Robert Downey. Jr. movie to date.

These figures, coupled with solid home media sales, placed Endgame at the top of Deadline Hollywood's 2019 most valuable blockbusters list, with a net profit estimated at a remarkable $890 million.

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