The next Marvel film hitting theaters may or may not be one of the biggest movie events of the year. But someone just placed a $100,000 bid at a charity auction to attend the Avengers: Doomsday world premiere with Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd.
Afterward, however, the actor suggested that he never actually ran the idea by Disney first.
A $100,000 Marvel Experience
In an Instagram video, Rudd can be seen addressing the crowd at the Big Slick Kansas City charity auction, an annual fundraising event for Children’s Mercy Kansas City.
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“I worked on this little independent movie, it’s called Avengers: Doomsday,” Rudd said. “It’s going to come out right before Christmas. And, I don’t know, I think it would be really cool if two people came with me to Los Angeles, right before the holiday season really kicks in to go to the premiere with me.”
Rudd added that it would also include an invitation to the after party.
“I’ll introduce you to every single person that I see, we’ll try to get as many selfies as possible,” the actor promised. “I know some of them, some of them will talk to me!”
James Marsden as Cyclops in the Avengers: Doomsday X-Men trailer – YouTube @marvel
Bidding quickly escalated before eventually reaching $100,000. After the auction closed, Rudd left the stage to give the unknown winner a hug.
Rudd Didn’t Ask Marvel First
Days later, Rudd appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and expressed his surprise at the amount raised.
I mean, it’s so crazy that that kind of caught on, because I didn’t even ask Marvel, I just auctioned them off,” he said. “So I’m hoping it’s okay.”
Fallon asked Rudd what would happen if Disney didn’t provide him with extra passes to the Avengers: Doomsday world premiere.
Robert Downey Jr. at the Avengers Doomsday cast reveal – YouTube, IGN
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“Well then my family’s not going because I only get a very small allotment,” Rudd laughed.
The red-carpet event is scheduled for December 14, four days before the film’s wide release. Fallon joked that he was sure Marvel wouldn’t see a problem because “we all know Marvel’s not secretive or anything.”
“No, no, they don’t care,” Rudd agreed. “Yeah, they’ll let anybody in. And just tweet whatever you want.”
The Real Winner Is Children’s Mercy
Ultimately, the auction was never really about movie tickets.
Big Slick was founded by Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, Rob Riggle, and other Kansas City-area entertainers to raise money for Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Over the years, the event has become one of the nation’s most successful celebrity charity fundraisers, generating tens of millions of dollars for pediatric healthcare.
Paul Rudd and Kathryn Newton in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania – Marvel Entertainment, YouTube
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Whether or not the winner chooses to attend the Avengers: Doomsday premiere with Paul Rudd—or if the ultra-expensive MCU film is a box office success—a significant amount of money was raised for charity. It also adds a feel-good story to the narrative surrounding the upcoming film.
In a moment when stars are sometimes at odds with audiences, and filmmakers are looking to build a connection, the auction demonstrated the value of giving fans memorable experiences. The winner may walk away with an unforgettable night, but Children’s Mercy Kansas City is the real beneficiary of the event’s success.
Would you pay $100,000 to see Avengers: Doomsday? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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