Film history is full of records. The following ten superstars earned the highest salaries from a single film.
The salaries of acting stars in Hollywood are rarely officially announced. Nevertheless, the salaries of stars such as Keanu Reeves (59), Tom Cruise (61) or Robert Downey Jr. (59) come to light when well-informed US media report on them.
Profit sharing is also often a decisive factor in Hollywood stars’ remuneration. If actors or actresses have negotiated such a share through their agents and representatives, and the film in question turns out to be a big box office success, the actor’s fee contractually agreed before the film’s release is often multiplied several times over.
An example: Superstar Leonardo DiCaprio (49) is said to according to “Vanity Fair” earned the astronomical sum of 59 million US dollars for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s (53) mindfuck “Inception”. But when profit sharing and other bonuses are taken into account, other acting stars are even higher than DiCaprio in the list of the highest earners for a single film.
Tom Hanks: 60 million US dollars for “Forrest Gump”
An unforgettable film classic: “Forrest Gump” by “Back to the Future” director Robert Zemeckis (72), which is difficult to classify into a single genre, grossed an incredible sum of almost 680 million US dollars at the worldwide box office in 1994.
According to “Entertainment Weekly” Lead actor Tom Hanks (67) is said to have earned a whopping 60 million US dollars from this huge success, taking home just under 10 percent of the film’s total revenue.
Harrison Ford: 65 million US dollars for “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
In addition to Han Solo from the “Star Wars” films, Harrison Ford (81) is inseparably linked with the role of the adventurous archaeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr. from the “Indiana Jones” film series. After the first three parts from the 1980s, Ford returned in 2008 for “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”.
Although the fourth Indiana Jones film was not universally loved by critics and fans, it still grossed an excellent $790 million at the worldwide box office. Franchise star Ford took home according to “Forbes” subsequently reportedly 65 million US dollars.
Sandra Bullock: At least 70 million US dollars for “Gravity”
There is a huge discrepancy between men and women on this list of the highest earners among actors. But one well-known actress still made it into the top ten earners: Sandra Bullock (59) reportedly received at least 70 million US dollars in compensation for the sci-fi film “Gravity”, which grossed over 720 million US dollars at the box office.
This impressive figure came about because Bullock, in addition to her fixed salary of $20 million, according to “The Hollywood Reporter” had also contractually guaranteed a 15 percent share of the initial box office results.
Robert Downey Jr.: 75 million US dollars each for “Iron Man 3,” “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame”
The Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008 with the central performance of Robert Downey Jr. in “Iron Man”. The actor set the tone for later Marvel works and established the film studio’s characteristic mixture of action, humor and wordplay. The most successful film series in cinema history to date in terms of pure box office results was born.
Against this background, Downey Jr.’s astronomical earnings from later Marvel hit films are not really surprising. The star is said to have earned 75 million US dollars each for his last solo appearance as Tony Stark in “Iron Man 3” as well as for the absolute Marvel highlights “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Endgame”, as differentUS Magazinesreported.
Keanu Reeves: 75 million US dollars each for “Matrix Reloaded” and “Matrix Revolutions”
The dystopian science fiction masterpiece “The Matrix” in 1999 proved to be just as successful, unforgettable and pop-culturally significant as the first “Star Wars” film. It is therefore not surprising that Neo actor Keanu Reeves made a name for himself in the two sequels “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” thanks to a lucrative profit share and other bonuses. according to “Screenrant” He is said to have earned $150 million. This would mean that Reeves would earn $75 million for a single film.
Jack Nicholson: 90 million US dollars for “Batman”
One of the greatest actors of all time is also one of the highest earners: screen legend Jack Nicholson (87) played the villain Joker in the first “Batman” film by Tim Burton (65). “Batman” grossed an astronomical sum of over 410 million US dollars for the late 1980s – and Nicholson is said to have made a fortune with the superhero blockbuster according to “Collider” earned a whopping $90 million thanks to profit sharing.
As a result, the villain actor has earned more from a “Batman” film than the actual “Batman” stars Michael Keaton (72), Val Kilmer (64), George Clooney (63), Christian Bale (50), Ben Affleck (51) and Robert Pattinson (38). What’s even more impressive about Nicholson’s salary: Adjusted for inflation, the $90 million he earned in 1989 would be equivalent to $194 million in 2024.
Alec Guinness: 95 million US dollars for “Star Wars”
The performance of the renowned British actor Sir Alec Guinness (1914-2000) as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the very first “Star Wars” film in 1977 remains unforgettable. Guinness played the first Jedi master to be seen on the big screen. Until his death in 2000, he is said to have according to “The Hollywood Reporter” earned an estimated $95 million from his 20-minute appearance in Star Wars.
Will Smith: 100 million US dollars for “Men in Black 3”
Ever since he attacked comedian Chris Rock (59) on stage at the 2022 Oscars, Will Smith (55) is probably no longer one of the most popular actors ever. Before that, the mime, who once became known through the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, rushed from success to success for decades. With “Men in Black 3”, which grossed over 624 million US dollars at the box office, Smith is said to have According to the US industry magazine “The Hollywood Reporter” earned the proud sum of 100 million US dollars.
Tom Cruise: Over 100 million US dollars for “Top Gun: Maverick”
The late “Top Gun” sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” was a huge success, grossing almost 1.5 billion US dollars at the worldwide box office. Tom Cruise, the star and producer of the film, also secured a lucrative share of the profits. the always well-informed US industry magazine “Variety”that Cruise earned over 100 million US dollars from the second “Top Gun” film.
Bruce Willis: 100-114 million US dollars for “The Sixth Sense”
Somewhat surprisingly, Bruce Willis (69), who is now suffering from dementia, is at the top of the list of the highest earners. According to media reports, Willis received a base salary of 14 million US dollars for his appearance in M. Night Shyamalan’s (53) legendary classic “The Sixth Sense”.
But since the popular horror film had a budget of “only” 40 million US dollars and grossed over 670 million dollars worldwide, Willis is said to have received a lucrative profit share earned a total of 100 million dollars from “The Sixth Sense”. Other sources even speak of a total earnings of 114 million dollars, meaning that the former “Die Hard” star would have generated more income from a single film than any other actor in Hollywood before or after him.