When a movie goes big at the box office, the money usually goes to the movie studio that produced the film. The studio will make money from the box office receipts, as well as from any merchandise, DVD, and digital sales, and any fees paid for the movie to be shown on TV or streaming services.
Usually, a portion of theater ticket sales goes to theater owners, with the studio and distributor getting the remaining money. Traditionally, a larger chunk went to the studio during the opening weekend of a film. As the weeks went on, the theater operator's percentage rose.
The average salary for directors is $89,373 per year . For producers, the typical annual salary is approximately $58,089 per year . A film's success can affect a director's or producer's salary, as some earn a percentage of the profits from ticket sales.
Most actors get a flat rate to shoot a film. Very few are offered any sort of percentage of the box office take or a percentage of movie sales/rentals on DVDs and Blurays. And when they do get offered a percentage, it's usually small and tacked on as an addition to the flat rate they get just for doing the film.
Traditionally, actors and writers are paid for each time a show runs on broadcast or cable television, or when someone buys a DVD, a Blu-ray disc or (long ago) a VHS tape.
Tom Cruise Earned Approximately $100 Million For Top Gun: Maverick. Tom Cruise struck gold with the box office success of Top Gun: Maverick, which earned him over $100 million.
With a huge net worth of $10billion (£8billion), Star Wars director and creator George Lucas is by far and away the richest director in the world. Alongside his most famous work, he also created the Indiana Jones franchise and production company LucasFilm, which he sold to Disney in 2012.
SAG rates, which productions must pay union actors, are based on the budget of the film. Every major film and television studio in Hollywood operates under a SAG-AFTRA contract, so those minimums apply, and agents negotiate more for their clients if necessary.
Keanu Reeves has made $22 million for playing John Wick, with the bulk of that being his $15 million salary for John Wick: Chapter 4. Reeves' salaries for the earlier John Wick movies ranged from $1-2 million to $2-2.5 million, showing a significant increase over time.
Celebrity Net Worth reports that Leo technically got $2.5 million for the movie, but due to a 1.8 percent cut of backend profits, he earned another $40 million.
According to Variety, Robbie stands to make approximately $50 million on Barbie, between her salary and box office bonuses in her dual role as star and producer. Robbie's massive payday is due to the incredible success of the film, which got off to a smashing start as one half of the “Barbenheimer” craze.
It has become increasingly popular in Hollywood for stars to get back-end points, which means they earn a percentage of the movie's box office gross, and that has led to some astronomical salaries of over $100 million for a single film. Here are the four actors who've managed that feat.
Tom Cruise, a Hollywood icon with a net worth of a whopping $600 million, has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. His movies have collectively raked in an astonishing $11.5 billion worldwide, solidifying his position as one of the highest-paid and most successful celebrities in Hollywood.
The directors, performers, writers and other key creatives involved in the work's production usually sign contracts relinquishing copyrights and stipulating royalty terms. Hollywood has a long history of power struggles between creatives, resulting in the varying royalty rates seen in their contracts.
Legendary American actor, director, and entrepreneur Robert De Niro has also made himself known for his wise investments and diverse asset classes, amassing an impressive $500 million net worth. With a rich acting career under his belt, De Niro is no stranger to the spotlight.
Kilmer's pay for Top Gun: Maverick is unclear, with reports ranging from $400,000 and £2 million. Showbiz Galore reported Kilmer made $400,000 which seems low compared to the other actors all having paid above $1 million.
Ryan Gosling's role in Barbie was one of his highest-paying yet, earning him $12.5 million. Despite not playing the title character, Gosling's salary matching Margot Robbie's for Barbie shows the value of his performance and his importance to the film's marketing.
With all that combined, Dwayne Johnson also has the salaries he gets from all his roles in films over the years. From the initial $5.5 million he got for playing 'The Scorpion King' to staying at a steady $22 million per film between 2018 and 2022.
Many working actors earn residual paychecks anytime that a TV show they appeared on air in reruns. Such sums even help stars such as Mandy Moore and Glen Powell pay their living expenses between jobs.
Some actors enjoy watching their past performances as a reminder of the experience, whether because of a particularly impactful role or due to excellent colleagues.
