The Marvel money train just keeps rolling for Robert Downey Jr. In Forbes' recently published list of the world's highest earning celebrities in 2015, the Iron Man star came in 8th place, earning an estimated $80 million for his work on Marvel's latest summer blockbuster The Avengers: Age of Ultron and the upcoming Captain America: Civil War.
Downey's huge haul comes not only from the big pay checks he gets for starring in these movies (a reported $40M for Civil War alone) but from the staggering box office royalties he gets.
When the first Avengers film was released in 2012, RDJ banked a cool $50M thanks to a renegotiated contract that will see him earn a portion of the profits (around 5-7%) in any movie where he plays Iron Man. For the upcoming Civil War, Cinemablend reports that Downey could earn even more if the film breaks the franchise record of $714M set by the previous instalment Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Downey was the highest paid actor on the list for the third straight year and it wasn't even close. After Downey's spot at No. 8, you need to scroll down quite a ways until you see another person who counts acting as their primary source of income. That person is actress Jennifer Lawrence, who raked in $52M this year which is good for the 34th spot on the list.
Aside from Downey and Lawrence, just two other actors made the top 50. Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel ($47m) at 43 and American Sniper Bradley Cooper ($41.5m) at 50.
The top of the list was mostly dominated by athletes and musicians. The first two spots are held by boxing superstars Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, while Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo comes in at No. 10. Katy Perry is the highest earning musician and female at No. 3. While One Direction (No.4) Garth Brooks (No.6) and Taylor Swift (No. 9) round at the music industry in the top 10.
