Top Actor Salaries Revealed: $100 Million for Top Gun and Joker Stars at Venom-Level Pay
Discover the impressive salaries of leading actors in upcoming blockbuster films, highlighting Tom Cruise's unprecedented $100 million earnings for Top Gun: Maverick and other notable paychecks in Hollywood's evolving landscape.
Among actresses, Margot Robbie commands the highest fee, yet her earnings are nearly ten times less than those of Tom Cruise.
According to Variety, Tom Cruise is set to earn over $100 million for his role in "Top Gun: Maverick." His income includes not only a base salary but also a share of ticket sales, and he will receive additional revenue from digital streaming and sales after the film's digital release.
Cruise's case is exceptional. For decades, the $20 million Jim Carrey earned in 1996 for the lead role in "The Cable Guy" was a record for the industry. Today, however, $20–30 million per film has become common, with 11 actors slated to receive such amounts for roles in upcoming movies.

The competition among streaming platforms is boosting actors' paychecks. Apple will pay Leonardo DiCaprio $30 million for starring in Martin Scorsese's new film "Killers of the Flower Moon," and an equal amount to Brad Pitt for the lead in an upcoming Formula 1 drama from the "Top Gun: Maverick" director. Meanwhile, Will Smith is set to earn $35 million for his role in "Emancipation."
Netflix is also keeping pace: Chris Hemsworth and Millie Bobby Brown will earn $20 million and $10 million respectively for sequels to "Extraction" and "Enola Holmes."
Some actors have benefited from blockbuster successes. Joaquin Phoenix earned $4.5 million for his lead role in the 2019 "Joker," a film that grossed over $1 billion worldwide, won him an Oscar, and secured a sequel contract with a $20 million salary.

However, money is not always the primary motivator for actors. While Tom Cruise is earning $100 million for "Top Gun," Christopher Nolan is directing an entire film on a similar budget. His new drama "Oppenheimer" costs $100 million to produce and stars Cillian Murphy in the lead role. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon, each of whom could have demanded $10–20 million but accepted $4 million each to work with Nolan.
Here is a list of notable actor salaries for upcoming films:
- Tom Cruise ("Top Gun: Maverick") — $100 million
- Will Smith ("Emancipation") — $35 million
- Leonardo DiCaprio ("Killers of the Flower Moon") — $30 million
- Brad Pitt (Untitled Formula 1 drama) — $30 million
- Dwayne Johnson ("Black Adam") — $22.5 million
- Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell ("Spirited") — $20 million each
- Chris Hemsworth ("Extraction 2") — $20 million
- Vin Diesel ("Fast X") — $20 million
- Tom Hardy ("Venom 3") — $20 million
- Joaquin Phoenix ("Joker 2") — $20 million
- Denzel Washington ("The Equalizer 3") — $20 million
- Jason Momoa ("Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom") — $15 million
- Eddie Murphy ("Beverly Hills Cop 4") — $15 million
- Chris Pine ("Star Trek" sequel) — $13 million
- Steve Carell ("Minions: The Rise of Gru") — $12.5 million
- Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie ("Barbie") — $12.5 million each
- Millie Bobby Brown ("Enola Holmes 2") — $10 million
- Timothée Chalamet ("Wonka") — $9 million
- Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt ("Oppenheimer") — $4 million each
- Daniel Kaluuya ("Nope") — $4 million
- Jamie Lee Curtis ("Halloween Ends") — $3.5 million
- Anya Taylor-Joy ("Furiosa") — $1.8 million
It is noted that Tom Cruise is likely to earn even more than $100 million, but precise streaming revenue projections remain uncertain.
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