Much has been made about the death of the movie star. Gone are the days of boldface names like Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, and Tom Hanks being enough to sell a movie. In a world where franchises are king, actors have become interchangeable. Well, not so fast.
According to a new report by Variety, Hollywood’s biggest stars are still making beaucoup bucks, thanks in large part to the rise of streaming, and the deep pockets of tech companies like Netflix, Apple, and Amazon. Take Daniel Craig, who is said to have walked away with at least $100 million after Rian Johnson sold his two Knives Out sequels to Netflix for a reported $400 million.
Then there’s Dwayne Johnson, who was paid $30 million to star in Amazon’s Red One, a number that Variety reports could end up as high as $50 million, depending on how well the film performs.
Even with the changing landscape, old box office stalwarts still command top dollar. It’s nice to see Will Smith still securing the bag, with his $40 million pay day for the Richard Williams biopic King Richard making him one of Hollywood’s top paid actors. Then there’s Denzel Washington, who also earned $40 million for his thriller The Little Things, despite the fact that it went straight to HBO Max. Rounding out the top five is none other than Leonardo DiCaprio, who made a reported $30 million for his upcoming Netflix movie Don’t Look Up.
Other actors making north of $10 million include Jennifer Lawrence, Sandra Bullock, Chris Hemsworth, Brad Pitt, Michael B. Jordan, Tom Cruise, and Keanu Reeves, who’s making close to $14 million for the upcoming The Matrix 4. By comparison, Robert Pattinson commanded just $3 million for his portrayal as the caped crusader in the upcoming The Batman.
Actors’ salaries have been garnering more attention recently, after Scarlett Johansson sued Disney over what she alleges was a breach of contract. Johansson claims she did not make as much as she should’ve when Disney decided to release Black Widow on Disney+ on the same day that it was released in theaters. But as Variety’s report proves, Hollywood’s biggest stars won’t be flying economy any time soon.
