Last week, the internet was abuzz regarding the potential return of Daniel Craig, to the beloved James Bond franchise. The most important bit of news that came out of the rumour, was the obscene amount of money being offered to the star. Clocking in at an estimated $150 million, this amount has since been disputed by insiders at Vanity Fair. Regardless of its validity, the fact remains – had this been greenlit, it would have been one of the biggest paychecks in Hollywood history. Craig would have entered into the pantheon of ridiculous cash loads, and sit comfortably amongst the industry’s most titanic stars.
To get an understanding of just how much money Craig’s reprisal would have made him, here are the biggest movie paychecks of all time. As many fine details to an actor’s contract are kept hidden, the totals listed are merely public estimates, compiled through various Hollywood publications and industry experts. These amounts include things like residual fees and other bonuses, as those continue to accumulate over the years.
—
10. Jack Nicholson – Batman (1990)
It’s a now infamous story. Jack Nicholson agreed to take a salary cut for Tim Burton’s Batman, but wanted to be properly compensated in the process. The catch? The Joker foresaw the movie’s success, and demanded residuals before he put a pen to paper. It was a brilliant move, and ended up garnering the star $60 million.
