Mutiny at MARVEL STUDIOS!!! Stars Threaten To Abandon AVENGERS 2!

I suppose it was only a matter of time before the actors behind THE AVENGERS (the third highest grossing movie in the world at 1.5 billion) would want to renegotiate their contracts for a bigger handful of that sweet, sweet box office gold. We heard earlier today that Robert Downey Jr. was fighting over terms in his new contract with the House of Ideas, and now the rest of the heroes have followed… at least, that’s what Deadline‘s reported.

Here’s the best snippets from their report:

This is the guy who orchestrated the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe

First and foremost Marvel does not have Downey in place yet. ”They need him, and they don’t have him. He’s got a lot of leverage,” one insider tells me. Much less so Scarlett Johannsen (paid to pop up in Marvel movie after movie), Chris Evans (whom some sources say made his deal for Avengers 2 when he signed for Captain America 2), Chris Hemsworth (a much bigger star now than before and unsigned for Avengers 2), Mark Ruffalo (whose Hulk role already was cast 3 times and could be the most vulnerable), Jeremy Renner (probably grateful for more exposure), Samuel L. Jackson (Scarlett’s doppelganger) among others who were paid pittances for their first movies, not much better for the sequels, and are counting on at least $5 million upfront and better back ends for Avengers 2. That means much better than what Marvel claimed was Avengers’ break-even point: a whopping $1.1 billion in global grosses. (“If Avengers wasn’t profitable until then, why would you make it?” one rep pointedly asked Marvel top execs Kevin Feige and Louis Esposito.) In a business where studio accounting is known as fatal subtraction and even worldwide blockbusters are still supposedly in the red, Marvel and its famously frugal CEO Ike Perlmutter still give new meaning to the term stingy. I’ve learned that one reason why The Avengers was nominated for only one Oscar – Best Visual Effects – in the 85th Academy Awards contest was because Marvel refused to pay for an awards season campaign for the picture. And even when Disney offered to foot the bill, Marvel still wouldn’t budge. (Yet the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences assembled the cast onstage to create buzz.) Here’s how one exec describes any negotiation with Marvel: “I wouldn’t say it’s brutal. It’s uncompromising, not mean or draconian. The fact is this is the reality of the world we’re living in right now.”

But The Avengers cast are ready to rumble with Marvel for the Avengers sequel slated for a May 2015 release. “Some received only $200,000 for Avengers and Downey got paid $50M. On what planet is that OK?” an insider tells me. CAA represents an overwhelming majority of the Marvel stars and is trying hard to keep the negotiations out of the public limelight and media headlines. But that may not be possible with some reps blaming the studio for ’scorched earth’ tactics past and present. ”Marvel has created so much animosity by strong-arming and bullying on sequels already. It’s counterproductive,” one source tells me. Says another, “I’m sick of Kevin Feige telling me again and again how Marvel is ‘reinventing the movie business’. It doesn’t work like this. They’re reinventing business, period.” I’ve learned Marvel already has threatened to sue or recast when contracts and/or options are challenged. That prompted a few cast members to respond, “Go ahead.” I hear Hemsworth especially wasn’t anxious to go back into that arduous diet and training regimen and subsist primarily on egg whites for Thor: Dark World which hits theaters November 8th. I also understand that Scarlett Johanssen told castmates she’s “not going to cut her quote” for Marvel’s Avengers 2. The actress as butt-kicking operative Black Widow in The Avengers and Iron Man 2 is wrapping Captain America: The Winter Soldier and has a whopping 8 options total.

I know that’s a huge chunk of content, but it all boils down to this: Marvel invested in several unknown or unpopular actors (RDJ was unpopular at the time… drug history and shit), dared to deliver a slate of semi-cheesy superheroes into an already saturated market, and they managed to be successful. Really REALLY successful. Now, those same actors who were happy to involve themselves with Marvel when the deals were brokered are disappointed by the returns (which they agreed upon).

That’s understandable.

Still… I find it difficult not to cast a judgemental gaze in their direction. They knew the constraints of their contracts when they signed on, and besides RDJ (who’s actually out of his contract at this point), the rest of the guys and gals seem a tad bit petty by tampering with a mutually agreed upon dealios.

What do you think?

Either way, I think this guy’s gonna be just fine…

SOURCE: DEADLINE