Here Are Top 10 Hollywood Icons Who Raked in Nearly $100M for Single Movie Performance
The 10 Roles That Got Actors Millions
When it comes to the entertainment industry, actors are among the highest-paid workers. From big-budget films to blockbuster television shows, these performers have built a name for themselves and amassed large fortunes as a result. While some stars are known to have high net worths, there are also some actors who have taken home more than $100 million from a single performance. Here we take a look at the top 10 roles that raked millions for the actors who starred in them.
1. Tom Cruise for Top Gun: Maverick, $100+ million
In the clearest example of a performer taking a chance on himself, Cruise agreed to reprise his part as Maverick from the original 1986 film Top Gun for just $13 million upfront, per Variety. Due to the film's notable success, Cruise was able to make over $100 million at the box office thanks to a successful backend arrangement he engineered. Cruise continues to be the highest-paid actor in movie history and has probably established a new standard that will be challenging for even him to surpass.
2. Will Smith for Men in Black 3, $100 million
In an agreement for Men in Black 3 that included an upfront fee and a percentage of the film's revenue, Will Smith received $100 million. Smith reportedly made $20 to $30 million for each film during the height of his career, which isn't much when compared to the $100 million he was able to collect for Men in Black 3. For the first Men In Black film, the actor only received $5 million. The highest-paid single movie contract ever is his $100 million deal for the sci-fi fan favorite, per FandomWire.
3. Keanu Reeves for The Matrix, $83.3 million
Keanu Reeves made a total of $250 million for the three Matrix films, or $83.3 million each. Reeves used to receive upfront payments from his films in the tens of millions of dollars before taking a cut of the overall box office receipts, which is how he was able to generate such massive sums for his Matrix trilogy. An ownership stake in his lucrative franchise affects Reeves' more recent pay for his John Wick movies, per The Hollywood Reporter.
4. Tom Cruise for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, $75 million
Tom Cruise made $75 million for his performance as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. With the help of the enormous success of the 2015 film Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and the 2018 film Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Cruise was able to successfully revive the Mission: Impossible franchise after the disappointing reception to its second and third installments. It's safe to assume that the $75 million was well spent based on the early indications of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One's box office success, per Forbes.
5. Robert Downey Jr. for Avengers: Infinity War, $75 million
Tony Stark/Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr., made $75 million for his part in Avengers: Infinity War. It seems reasonable that the star of one of the most successful franchises ever would earn one of the largest pay for a single movie. According to reports, Downey Jr. has earned over $435 million as a result of his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which debuted with 2008's Iron Man. Downey Jr. is one of the highest-paid performers in movie history, per The Daily Mail and The Hollywood Reporter.
6. Sandra Bullock for Gravity, $70 million
Sandra Bullock received an upfront payment of $20 million for her part in the epic space movie Gravity, but she was able to make much more money because of the terms of her contract, which guaranteed her 15% of the overall box office earnings. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bullock was able to earn almost $70 million for just a single performance. Bullock was able to earn a total income that was more than three times her starting pay because of the movie's success.
7. Johnny Depp for Alice In Wonderland, $68 million
For his performance as the Mad Hatter in the live-action movie Alice in Wonderland, 2010, Johnny Depp received $68 million. The film reunited Depp and Burton, whose past collaborations produced beloved films like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Depp received $68 million USD, according to The Telegraph, making him the highest-paid actor in Hollywood in 2010.
8. Harrison Ford for Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, $65 million
For his performance as Indiana Jones in the 2008 film Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, Harrison Ford received a cool $65 million. Ford reportedly took a significant pay reduction for the previous movies, but for Indiana Jones 4, he earned a large wage. Forbes claims that Ford, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas received a sizable sum of money from Paramount to produce the eagerly anticipated fourth Indiana Jones film. The agreement inspired Ford to come out of semi-retirement, and it may have given him the inspiration to keep acting far into his nineties.
9. Adam Sandler for Murder Mystery, $62.5 million
Adam Sandler received $62.5 million for his part in Murder Mystery as part of a four-movie contract with the world's largest streaming service, Netflix, per Forbes. Sandler was promised a stunning $250 million in total, which translates to $62.5 million for each of the movies covered by the agreement.
10. Tom Hanks for Forrest Gump, $60 million
Tom Hanks received $60 million for his leading role in the Forrest Gump film directed by Robert Zemeckis. Hanks' contract, according to Entertainment Weekly, stipulated that the success of the film would determine his final salary. Hanks was able to walk away with a sizable payoff since Forrest Gump made over $680 million worldwide or about 10% of all box office receipts.
