Variety.com have posted an interesting article discussing the salaries of some of Hollywood’s top actors. They ask if the days of the $20m+ actors are over, at least for now, due to the demand for costumed characters and tighter budget control.
The size of a film’s opening weekend no longer hinges on the popularity of the actors who grace its poster. Special effects are the stars these days and the place where studios are spending the bulk of their money.
I’ve always found it interesting when a friend mentions going to see a movie due to a certain actor starring in the movie, as if it’s a given it’ll be any good! Give me a great story over a leading name any day of the week.
They do ask us not to feel too sorry for them though. Many actors negotiate percentages of profit or multi-movie contracts and with modern takings we are talking huge bonuses.
Often, stars are being asked to bet on themselves. Actors and directors who work for the low-budget horror film specialist Blumhouse receive only scale, which amounts to a few thousand dollars a week and helps the production keep its costs low. In exchange, they receive a taste of the film’s back end, which can lead to a rich payday, as Ethan Hawke found when he appeared in 2013’s “The Purge.” The film topped out at $89.3 million worldwide, giving Hawke a $2 million bonus.
