Highest-earning actors for a single production in the 2020s so far
with tom holland’s earnings for brand new day being published earlier today, I thought it’d be interesting to see a current list of the highest earning actors for a single production in the 2020s
Tom Holland - Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) - upfront salary of $20m and expected to make a total income of $100m+ after backend profits
Tom Cruise - Top Gun: Maverick (2022) - upfront salary of $12.5m and made a total income of $100m after backend profits
Margot Robbie - Barbie (2023) - upfront salary of $12.5m and made a total income of $50m after backend profits
Will Smith - King Richard (2021) - earned $40m from both upfront salary and compensation for film’s simultaneous theatrical and streaming release
Denzel Washington - Little Things (2021) - upfront salary of $20m and made total income of $40m after backend buyout compensations
Will Smith - Emancipation (2022) - upfront salary of $40m
7/8. Leonardo DiCaprio - earned $30m for both Don’t Look Up (2021) and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Scarlett Johansson also technically makes the list if you count her cashout after her court settlement with Disney for Black Widow. Upfront salary of $20m and another $40m following her lawsuit
Keanu Reeves is still the highest paid actor in history for a single production since Matrix 2 and 3 were filmed back-to-back ($156m)
Sandra Bullock is the highest paid actress of all time for a single production for Gravity ($20m base salary and a total income of $70m after backend)