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When it comes to movies that are sure to rake it in at the box office, nothing may be a bigger guarantee than putting out a superhero movie. Even though Suicide Squad is being panned by critics, it is still a smash hit at the box office. And as you're going to find out, some of the actors in the movie were also paid handsomely for their role. Margot Robbie and Jared Leto may be who people are talking about, but it's Will Smith who was the real winner from the movie.
Other past DC movies, such as Christopher Nolan's Batman series were a success both critically and financially; so you better believe Christian Bale was also paid handsomely for his services. You may have thought Marvel actors got paid (find out just how much here), but we have 7 DC legends who have scored over $100 million in their career.
Do you know how much Jack Nicholson got paid to take on the Joker? You're about to find out. Can you guess which former DC star has amassed the highest net worth, or how much The Rock brought in this past year? You'll even find out how much money you'd get paid to take on the role of Batman (as if they needed to pay you!). All that and more when you learn about 20 of the highest net worths in the DC Universe.
20. Cara Delevingne - $6 Million
Cara Delevingne is absolutely gorgeous, but perhaps it may not come as the biggest shock that her net worth as of right now is only $6 million. Delevingne is only 23 years old and is just starting out as an actress, which as you'll keep learning, is definitely where the money is. Prior to acting, Delevingne got a name for herself as a model, but she has said in the past that she hopes to step away from that industry. One thing that will help was definitely landing the role of Enchantress for Suicide Squad.
Whether it is her or Robbie that you prefer, it is clear that both of these two leading ladies have the ability to put any man under their spell. Delevingne has recently finished filming the movie London Fields, that stars Amber Heard who will be entering the DC Universe with the character of Mera, in the upcoming Aquaman movie.
19. Gal Gadot - $5 million
In 2004 it wasn’t a movie screen, but a beauty pageant that Gal Gadot was rocking out on. Gadot took home the title of Miss Israel and then competed at the 2004 Miss Universe competition. Her good looks definitely helped her get noticed, and she was cast as Gisele Harabo in the Fast and the Furious series. No stranger to getting rough and tough, Gadot admitted in the past that she did all of her stunts in the film.
You can imagine that also means Gadot is probably not going to be afraid to get down and dirty when she takes on the role of Wonder Woman. Fans got a peek at her character in Batman Vs Superman, but we are all eagerly awaiting Gadot’s solo film which is set to come out on June 2nd, 2017.
18. Margot Robbie - $8 Million
You don't have to look for very long before it becomes clear that Margot Robbie is one of the sexiest women in Hollywood. It also only takes one look at her net worth of $8 million before it becomes clear that she is also able to afford the clothes that really allow her to show off her beauty!
Robbie’s big break came in 2013 for her performance in The Wolf of Wall Street. Robbie was still starting out, so she only pulled in $347,000 for her role. Unlike most people on this list, Robbie has yet to have a role in which she has openly reported that she’s been paid over $1 million. Her biggest payday came in 2015 for the movie Z for Zachariah when she earned $667,000. It was not reported how much she got paid to take on Harley Quinn, but you can imagine that it also made for some nice leverage for her salary in her next big movie Tarzan, which also came out this year.
17. Jesse Eisenberg - $10 Million
It was definitely a bold choice to cast the often nerdy and awkward Jesse Eisenberg as the menacing Lex Luthor for Batman V Superman. While he may not have been as captivating as Kevin Spacey, Eisenberg at the very least put a lot of effort into his rendition of the classic character.
Over the course of his entire career, Eisenberg has brought in $10 million, but don’t think that means he’s always been paid handsomely. Back in 2007 for his appearance in Camp Hell, Eisenberg only earned $3,000. While it is not reported how much he has earned for his portrayal of Lex, Eisenberg is going to get another crack at it as he portrays the character again in the upcoming Justice League movie. It is definitely evident that the studio is going to put a big enough budget in place that they’ll be able to pay whatever it takes to keep the talented Eisenberg around.
16. Henry Cavill - $8 Million
Henry Cavill definitely has the look of a fantastic Superman, and many fans cannot wait to see how his character will continue to develop in the Justice League movies. Cavill also probably cannot wait to continue playing the superhero, especially when you find out he took home $14 million when he first played the role in Man of Steel. You can imagine that payday is only going to increase as Cavill continues to get recognized for his talented acting.
As of now, it is reported that his net worth is $8 million, proving that while he's made some money, it's still a far cry from some other powerhouses on this list. Cavill is also one of the many names being thrown around as a potential replacement for Daniel Craig now that he is stepping away from the role of James Bond. You can imagine if this happens, that Cavil will be making headlines for the contract that he signs to play the super spy.
15. Michael Keaton - $18 Million
No matter what your opinion is of Keaton's take on the Dark Knight, the fact that he got paid $5 million to play the Caped Crusader is a pretty awesome achievement. Keaton has had a long career that has seen him earn $18 million. Considering he's also been able to appear in the Toy Story franchise, there is definitely a lot to be jealous of.
Fans who may not have been watching television in the 70s (you know, like most people reading this) may remember Keaton from the television series Maude. Keaton also appeared in the movie Game 6, but like another Batman actor, he was more passionate about the project being made than the payday. As a result, he paid himself only $100 a day while he was on set. The movie also starred Robert Downey Jr.
14. Val Kilmer - $25 Million
If we're being honest, Val Kilmer is definitely not aging as brilliantly as some of the other Batmans on this list. When he stepped into the Batsuit for the 1995 movie Batman Forever, it came with it a salary of $7 million. It was definitely enough money that he would have hoped lasted forever! Kilmer took home even more money for his 1999 movie At First Sight, earning $9 million.
Kilmer's biggest payday came when he sold his Ranch that he owned up in New Mexico. It sold back in 2011 for $18.5 million, though it was not reported how much Kilmer originally paid for the ranch. It was also not reported if he had set up a bat-cave on the ranch, but God do we hope so!
13. Tom Hardy - $30 Million
Tom Hardy had to pack on 30 pounds of muscle to play Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, but the $4 million that he was paid to play the character was probably a pretty nice incentive to stay away from junk food.
Hardy almost got to cash in with DC again as he was one of the leads of Suicide Squad but had to step away from the project when it became clear it would conflict with The Revenant. In 2015, Hardy appeared in the movie Child 44 and brought home $2 million. While we are not sure on his contract numbers, you can also imagine Hardy was paid handsomely for his outstanding job in the movie Mad Max: Fury Road. Hardy is currently tapped in to reprise the role in Mad Max: The Wasteland, which has been announced but has not yet started filming.
12. Amy Adams - $35 Million
It’s clear that Superman is going to be the guy who saves the day at the end of every Superman movie, but could he really do anything without Lois Lane? Amy Adams was tapped to play the reporter for the 2013 movie, Man Of Steel. While we do not know how much she got paid to take on the role, with a net worth of $35 million, we’re sure it didn’t have to be a ton of money to convince her to sign on to such an exciting project.
Adams has participated in several big projects, including being the lead and a producer on the 2007 movie Enchanted which grossed $340 million. Adams is currently cast as the lead in the television series Sharp Objects, which is set around a reporter who must confront psychological demons from her past after she returns to her hometown to cover a murder. Something tells me her reporting skills as Lane probably came in handy!
11. Jared Leto - $40 Million
When it comes to creating a fantastic Batman movie, there is always going to be a lot of pressure around who gets to play the Joker. For Suicide Squad, it was the Academy Award winning Jared Leto who got tapped for the role. While Joker may not care about money, Leto was probably pretty pleased to be taking home just under $7 million for his role.
Leto has pulled in $40 million throughout his career and while acting has definitely helped, it is also clear that Leto’s band 30 Seconds To Mars has also helped make him live comfortably. Leto pulled in a reported $1.5 million in 2005 for his album A Beautiful Lie, which sold over a million copies.
10. Russell Crowe - $75 Million
Russell Crowe has no shortage of legendary roles, but anytime you get the chance to play Superman’s father, how do you not jump all over it? Crowe’s best role may have been in 2000 for the movie Gladiator; which paid him $5 million and also won him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Crowe has also been able to earn $20 million on at least two occasions, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Robin Hood.
Crowe was also captivating in the critically acclaimed movie A Beautiful Mind and earned $15 million for his performance. When you put it all together, this leads to a career where Crowe can boast that he has a net worth of $75 million. Crowe has absolutely done some awful movies in his career, but at least it’s clear that money should be the least of his concerns.
9. Ben Affleck - $75 Million
When Ben Affleck was first cast as Bruce Wayne, many people were quick to point out the god awful Daredevil movie that came out back in 2003 and was a horrendous flop. Thankfully for Affleck, the fact that he took home $11.5 million (+ a percentage of the gross) probably helped him sleep a little easier.
Affleck has brought home at least $10 million on several occasions, but his biggest payday came back in 2003 when he was paid $15 million for the movie fittingly titled, Paycheck. While we do not know how much he brought in for Batman V Superman, his appearance in Suicide Squad netted Affleck $12.5 million.
Affleck is also a talented director and producer, and his 2010 movie The Town earned him $2.5 million. One of Affleck’s biggest reasons as to why he got his break into Hollywood was his script Good Will Hunting, which he wrote with Matt Damon. When the two sold the script (which they also both appeared in), they took home $300,000 each. Affleck is also a known Poker player, and in 2004 won $356,000 in the California State Poker Tournament. Affleck also took home $800,000 by playing 3, $20,000 hands in one night back in 2001. Easy to see how he's been able to amass his net worth of $75 million!
8. Christian Bale - $80 Million
When Christian Bale took on the role of Batman for the 2nd time in The Dark Knight, not only did he take home $10 million, but he also had a $20 million bonus attached to the project that he also collected on. Let's hope he gave his agent a nice bonus for that one! When he was first cast as Bruce Wayne, Bale took home $9 million, and when he suited up for the last time in The Dark Knight Rises, it took $15 million to bring him back.
Bale must have loved the feeling of earning $20 million+ for one movie, so when he stepped on set for Exodus: Gods and Kings he made sure he was also getting paid $20 million for the role.
While it’s not reported how much he took home in total, Bale also earned $8 million plus some of the profits for the movie Terminator Salvation. Critics may have hated the movie, but it still brought in $371.4 million at the box office.
7. Nicole Kidman - $120 Million
In 2005, Nicole Kidman appeared in a 3-minute ad for Chanel No.5. While acting may be where she has earned the bulk of her $120 million, Kidman earned $12 million for her appearance in the ad. That same year, Kidman appeared in The Interpreter and brought home $17.5 million. Definitely not a bad year in the Kidman house!
Kidman also earned $15 million, per film, for The Stepford Wives, Birth and Cold Mountain. Considering she is also married to the incredibly talented musician Keith Urban, and you can definitely understand why the two can live it up.
While she may not have had any powers, Kidman still appeared in the 1995 film Batman Forever, a role that paid her $2.5 million. Kidman is currently working on several projects, none of which may be more exciting than The Killing of a Sacred Deer which also stars Colin Farrell and promises some twists and turns.
6. Jim Carrey - $150 Million
Jim Carrey has definitely had a career that is full of some hilarious roles, so why not cast him as The Riddler in the 1995 movie Batman Forever? While he may have cost the studio $7 million, Carrey was definitely a recognizable name. A common theme you’ll see, especially with the big powerhouses, is that they command huge salaries for sequels.
When Carrey first did Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, he did it for only $350,000. You can imagine he was ecstatic when literally one year later, the sequel came out and paid him $15 million. Carrey then followed that up with The Cable Guy and Liar Liar, which both deposited $20 million into his account.
Carrey helped get his break into Hollywood by appearing on the television show In Living Color that aired in 1990. It was reported that he got paid $25,000 per episode, for a grand total of 140 episodes. While he may not have the most money of any actor on this list, at $150 million total, you can imagine there isn’t much in this lifetime that Carrey cannot obtain.
5. George Clooney - $180 Million
George Clooney has had a fantastic career both on television and on the big screen. Back in 1993, it was the television Sisters that gave Clooney a shot. They also paid him $40,000 an episode, which is definitely none too shabby considering he appeared 19 times on the show. That’s a far cry away from the $20 million (plus revenue share) that he brought in for the smash-hit Gravity, which came out in 2013 and made $723 million.
Clooney has had a chance to take on the role of the Caped Crusader, and when he donned the character in Batman & Robin, it was $10 million that he was able to add to his bank account. While it was not disclosed how much Clooney made for the 2nd movie, Ocean’s Eleven earned him $20 million and Ocean’s Thirteen brought him an additional $15 million. Not a bad payday for getting to hangout with your buddies on set!
Clooney has earned $180 million over his career, which means he was able to pay himself $3 for his role in Good Night, and Good Luck. Clooney had been injured on a previous movie (Syriana) and was unable to be insured for the project, which was one of the factors in taking the smaller payday.
4. Dwayne Johnson - $185 Million
Forbes announced back in July that of all celebrities in 2016, Dwayne Johnson was the highest-paid actor in the world. While there are actors on here with a bigger net worth, nobody brought in more than the $64.5 million that The Rock earned this past year. This included a testosterone-fuelled performance in Furious 7 and a fun romp Central Intelligence. Showing he is still comfortable on television, Johnson also appears in the series Ballers.
When Dwayne Johnson was appearing on television in 2013 for the WWE, he was bringing home an annual salary of $5 million. His biggest payday from cinema came back in 2011 when he earned $32.6 million for his salary (plus bonus earnings) in Fast Five. Considering he has no shortage of proven sequels coming out (including Fast 8), you can imagine The Rock is cooking whatever it is he wants.
The Rock hasn’t entered the DC movie universe quite yet, but you can imagine fans cannot wait for his role of Black Adam in the 2019 movie Shazam! Johnson is currently the only name attached to the project, but that’s still enough to get people excited.
3. Will Smith - $240 Million
Will Smith has been making outstanding movies for over a decade now, so it may not come as the biggest shock that he has one of the highest net worths of anyone on this list. Even films that are not the most critically successful, like Hancock, still made over $600 million at the box office.
Smith is arguably the most recognizable name in Suicide Squad, and as a result, he was able to command the highest payday in the movie of $20 million for his portrayal of Deadshot. Smith also took home $10 million for his role in Concussion. Smith is also no stranger to sequels, and his part in Men In Black 2 and Bad Boys 2 both paid him $20 million. Smith also took home 20% of the gross income for BB2 and 10% for MIB2.
As a musician, Smith’s album Big Willie Style, has also sold for 17.5 million copies.
Smith’s total box office revenue (going into Suicide Squad) has a grand total of $2,848,431,141, making it easy to see why studios are comfortable shelling out the big bucks for the talented actor.
2. Arnold Schwarzenegger - $300 Million
When Arnold became the Governor of California, he brought home a comfortable salary of $175,000 a year, but that’s a drop in the bucket of the $300 million that he has amassed in his career. Schwarzenegger has brought home $25 million for his performance on several occasions, including Batman and Robin in which he played Mr. Freeze.
When Schwarzenegger first took on his iconic role in the 1984 movie Terminator, he got paid $75,000 but the film was a huge hit and by the time the sequel came out in 1991, Schwarzenegger was paid a comfortable $15 million. Over 10 years went by until the 3rd one came out, but when it did, he brought home an astonishing $30 million. Having that kind of money can definitely allow you to do some really fun things in life, which is definitely proven when you find out that Schwarzenegger spent $38 million on his private jet. Forget living in your house, just live in that as you travel around the world!
1. Jack Nicholson - $400 Million
When it comes to actors who have absolutely nailed their role, there are not many better examples than Jack Nicholson taking over the screen as the Joker in the 1989 movie, Batman. Even if you hated his performance (though I very much doubt that), you may be absolutely astounded to hear that Nicholson brought home $90 million for his portrayal. This was the maximum earning potential, as his contract was worded so that he earned a percentage of the box office gross. Not a good move if the movie bombs, but a fantastic move when the movie goes on to earn over $400 million (at the time, making it the 5th-highest grossing movie of all time).
You may also love uttering the line: “You can’t handle the truth!” that Nicholson made famous in his 1992 movie A Few Good Men, which paid Nicholson $5 million. Nicholson also appeared in the 2003 movie Anger Management, but you can imagine he did not have too much anger left in his body after he cashed his paycheck of $20 million that he earned for his role.
Nicholson definitely is not afraid to spend his money, and in 2010 it was reported that he had an art collection that was estimated at being worth more than $100 million. He may not be returning to the DC Universe anytime soon, but he's still one of the best actors in the world.
Sources: statisticbrain.com
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