Over the next two days, Kevin Feige sent someone to approach Robert Downey Jr., and Matthew kept a close eye on the developments. Downey was very interested in playing Tony Stark.
Once an Oscar nominee for Best Actor, Robert Downey Jr. had fallen on hard times. His battles with addiction and his time in jail had nearly destroyed his acting career. Fortunately, his family ties remained strong, and many still showed respect to his father, Robert Downey Sr. Before Mel Gibson completely alienated the Jewish community in Hollywood, he had extended a helping hand to Downey. Later, George Clooney also tried to give him a boost. However, these efforts couldn't completely restore Downey to his former glory as the talented actor of the '90s.
Marvel had reservations about Downey due to his high risk of relapse into drug abuse.
Thankfully, there was a way to manage this concern. Following Helen Herman's suggestion, Kevin Feige devised a strict payment scheme. If Downey could pass the screen test for Tony Stark, he would receive an initial payment, a very small percentage of his total fee. The remaining seventy percent of his earnings would be withheld until after "Iron Man" officially premiered.
If Downey got caught in a drug scandal before the film's release, not only would he forfeit the rest of his salary, but he would also have to pay damages equal to the total amount owed.
This was the condition under which Marvel invited Downey for a screen test—a precautionary measure, essentially a financial reminder for Downey to stay clean.
Given his current situation, Downey didn't have much room to negotiate. From what Matthew had heard, even if Downey passed the audition, Marvel planned to offer him only $500,000 for his role.
"Kevin, I have a suggestion for you to consider."
In Marvel Studios' office, Matthew put down Downey's file and said, "If 'Iron Man' goes well, we'll be rolling out our subsequent plans, right?"
"Yes." Kevin Feige nodded. Now that Matthew was Marvel's second-largest investor and held the rights to invest in future films, they were on the same team. There was no need to hide anything. "If we can execute the plan, we'll assemble the Avengers after four or five films."
Matthew had learned about this during the negotiations. "Given that, Kevin, why not sign Downey for multiple films right from the start?"
Kevin Feige was momentarily taken aback. They hadn't considered this because "Iron Man" itself was a gamble, and its success was far from guaranteed.
As an investor and producer, Matthew naturally thought from a perspective that aligned with his interests. He explained to Kevin Feige, "If 'Iron Man' succeeds, there will be 'Iron Man 2' and 'The Avengers,' which both require Tony Stark. Why not sign the actor for multiple films at once? Even if we have to renegotiate his salary later, we'll have the upper hand."
"That's right!" Kevin Feige nodded. "I overlooked that."
Matthew smiled and continued, "Given Downey's current difficult situation, it's the perfect time to propose these terms. If 'Iron Man' becomes a hit and we have to negotiate a new contract later, we'll be at a disadvantage."
Kevin Feige paced the office for a bit and then agreed, "I'll get someone to prepare for this immediately. Even if the person who passes the audition isn't Downey, we should try to sign multi-film contracts."
Matthew didn't add anything further. Feige, having been reminded, would certainly find a way to draft a contract favorable to Marvel. Given Downey's current predicament, he would likely accept the terms unless they were excessively harsh.
Matthew had read entertainment gossip before and noted that Downey was the highest-paid actor in Marvel's lineup. His salary alone could exceed the combined earnings of all the other Avengers. This was partly due to Iron Man's immense popularity among fans and partly because Marvel initially signed Downey to a single-film contract.
Marvel likely hadn't anticipated the overwhelming success of "Iron Man" or Downey's rising star. When they first cast him, they only signed him for the one movie.
When "Iron Man" became a massive hit, Downey's salary demands skyrocketed, increasing by more than tenfold for subsequent negotiations.
This created a vicious cycle: as "Iron Man" continued to succeed and Tony Stark became more beloved, Downey's per-film contract terms became increasingly exorbitant.
Matthew understood that if Downey were to take on this role now, his terms would be much less favorable than they were previously. But for Matthew, ensuring his own profit margin was paramount. After all, exploiting labor for profit has always been a fundamental principle of capitalism.
Although Matthew wasn't an expert in film production, he had a broader vision for the Marvel superhero series than Marvel itself. He knew there were numerous Marvel superhero films he could invest in in the future. It made sense to dig a pit for Downey now rather than face his astronomical demands later.
Based on Matthew's speculation, one of Marvel Studios and Disney's biggest headaches must have been Downey's salary demands.
Replacing the actor wasn't a viable option; it would be catastrophic for the franchise.
Hollywood has rarely had such distinct superstars confined to individual franchises: Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man.
Before leaving Marvel Studios, Matthew asked about their plans for future films. Given Marvel's precarious situation, they had plans for the superhero series but nothing concrete. In the proposal Kevin Feige shared with him, there were numerous superhero names, like Captain America, the X-Men, Doctor Strange, and others.
As for which films would be made, Marvel would decide after "Iron Man" was released.
If "Iron Man" failed, those projects would be indefinitely postponed.
As Matthew exited Marvel Studios and got into the waiting Mercedes, he glanced back at the building adorned with comic book hero imagery. A thought struck him: could superhero movies ever win an Oscar, or shake off their reputation for being lowbrow and juvenile?
Despite being commercially driven, there were distinct tiers within the film industry. Comic book superhero movies were undoubtedly considered lower-tier.
This was an industry-wide sentiment, not just his opinion.
As the Mercedes turned south towards Beverly Hills, Matthew, now idle, began to daydream.
Given Hollywood's current social environment and trends, superhero movies had a potential strategy: incorporate elements of feminism, racial diversity, and LGBT representation. Critics and audiences would find it hard to give negative reviews without facing backlash.
"Wonder Woman" seemed a perfect fit for this idea.
Matthew instantly thought of the long-legged Wonder Woman he had seen back across the Pacific. With her character already embodying feminism, adding a romantic subplot with a black woman... no, a black lesbian, and carefully selecting the themes, such as feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, politics, race, environmentalism, and refugees...
Who would dare to compete? Who would risk not giving positive reviews?
It was a perfect recipe for a box office and critical success, with an Oscar for Best Picture almost guaranteed.
Thinking along these lines, Matthew murmured to himself, "Spider-Man should love black people, Wonder Woman should love black people; we all love black people. Thankfully, I use black toothpaste too, keeping up with the trend."
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind: what if "loving dogs" became the next big thing in Hollywood's political correctness? How would mainstream movies handle that?
*Cough...*
Matthew clenched his fist and coughed to stop his train of ridiculous thoughts. Hollywood, after all, wasn't the San Fernando Valley.
His phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Kevin Feige.
They had just met, so Matthew was curious about the reason for the call. He answered, "Hi, Kevin. What's up?"
"There's something I forgot to mention," Kevin Feige's voice sounded slightly strange. "Can I run it by you?"
"Go ahead."
Kevin Feige continued, "I have an idea that could be great for promoting 'Iron Man.' What do you think about Gwyneth Paltrow?"
At this, Matthew immediately understood what Feige was hinting at and reminded him, "Kevin, you might have overlooked something. Gwyneth Paltrow is married."
"Ah... I missed that." Feige seemed to slap his forehead. "What if..."
He didn't finish his sentence before Matthew interrupted, "Kevin, leave that kind of thing to Robert Downey Jr. All right, I have something to attend to. Let's keep in touch."
Matthew then hung up the phone.
While gossip and scandals could indeed keep the public interested, Matthew didn't want to resort to that tactic for every movie. Firstly, he had already been involved in numerous tabloid stories, and secondly, he had used this strategy a few times before. Overusing it might not benefit the film itself.
As for Kevin Feige's mention of Gwyneth Paltrow, Matthew didn't even consider it. She was not only married but also notoriously known as the ultimate princess in Hollywood.
Who in their right mind would want to entangle themselves with someone who believed they were more high-maintenance than royalty?
With Matthew's $40 million investment, the "Iron Man" project was getting back on track, and casting for the remaining roles was underway. Helen Herman seized the opportunity brought by Matthew to insert numerous small actors from Angels Agency into the production.
These actors didn't command high fees, but their sheer numbers meant the commissions Angels Agency earned from them added up to a significant amount.
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