Which Star is Worth Three Times More?
Mr. $3m and Mr. $10m
I guess it isn’t really a trick question - you all know that Owen Wilson is a bigger star than Paul Rudd and suitable should be paid more. But did you know that for How Do You Know that Wilson received $10 million and Rudd only $3 million? (yeah, I know… “only” $3 million)
The details come from a story detailing how even a non-effects-driven RomCom like How Do You Know actually cost $120 million to make. Much of the cost comes from the salaries for the creative principals.
- Reese Witherspoon, $15 million
- Jack Nicholson, $12 million
- Owen Wilson, $10 million
- Paul Rudd, $3 million
- Writer-Producer-Director James L. Brooks, $10 million plus backend points
Sony should be hoping that the film has strong legs that made ensemble adult-skewing comedies Date Night and Couples Retreat big hits. Even better would be for great overseas box office, which is usually rare for American comedies not starring Ben Stiller. The article points out that last year’s similarly position comedy It’s Complicated grossed about double overseas compared to the North American returns.
Reviews for How Do You Know haven’t been great so far, and the Oscar buzz for Paul Rudd has cooled. Nonetheless, many of us are looking forward to the film when it opens this Friday.
Here are some photos from Monday’s premiere.
Rudd and Wilson
Wilson, Rudd, Witherspoon, Kathryn Hahn, Brooks
Love this shot of Paul Rudd
I’ve always felt stars should only get paid big if the movie is a success, not up front for in case it bombs. I believe some stars get percents of the royalties of sales, so I guess this is where their salary of that magnitude should come from. I’m also one of those that believes NO star should be paid that much. Movies don’t need to have those outrageous budgets. Same goes for TV stars so I’m not just singling out movie stars. I no longer become a fan of TV shows when the stars demand those ridiculous salaries (i.e. Friends, Charlie Sheen, etc…). There was a time stars were fired, blacklisted and then replaced (i.e. Suzanne Sommers amongst others in that day) for that type of behavior and IMO we need to get back to those days. It would certainly humble these stars and make them stop thinking they are so “special”.
~Bonnie
P.S. I forgot to mention, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE those pics of both Wilson and Rudd. Lookin’ good!!!
Those poses make me think they need to do another movie together.
They seriously seem like a great combination. Someone (looking at YOU, Judd) needs to lock them in fast.
I would love to see Owen and Rudd in a film together, I mean a straight comedy film. I was looking forward to this, but I have only heard bad things about it. Looking at how much the film cost, its surprising. I think Reese, Owen, and especially Jack are overpaid and Rudd is just about right or underpaid.
I’m still going to see it, but my hopes are not as high.
As for the bad reviews coming in, I’m not taking much stock in those.
IMO in recent years the movies coming out of Hollywood have been, for lack of a better word, dumbed down so viewers don’t have to think. From what I’ve read about James Brooks, he does more “smart” comedies and not these “get stoned and laugh about immature bodily fluid jokes” comedies. It’s like Owen’s movie “The Minus Man”. It’s not a thriller like “Scream” where it’s filled with just screams and blood, but it’s an actual thriller that makes you sit down, think and watch. Many moviegoers I think are lazy and don’t have the patience to deal with a movie like that so they would rather have a dumb comedy or horror movie filled with nothing but blood and screams (i.e. cue cards that tell you when to be scared) than a movie that actually takes intelligence.
I might have to eat my words on this but for right now I’m thinking the movie will be great and perform very well. It’s a comedy where you don’t have bodily fluids as a punchline and I’m hoping (praying) there are still some in this world that would like something refreshing for a change.
Bonnie,
Given how much $$ the networks and shows make on ad revenue and especially syndication deals, I have no problem with high salaries if that’s what the actors can negotiate. Overall, I think it keeps the quality of the shows high. Your Three’s Company example actually proves my point - that show went downhill after Sommers left.
I think in the past we weren’t always privy to these negotiations. But in the internet age when wiseass bloggers can complain that Rudd “only” gets $3 million to kiss Reese Witherspoon…
RomComs are tricky. Morning Glory also got lousy reviews but I very much enjoyed it. So, I’m hopeful the same will be the case with How Do You Know.
It might have been funny to see Rudd play against type in Sudekis’ role in Hall Pass.
I can’t blame the actors if the studios are willing to pay them their quotes. I think those negotiations are getting tougher now though, as they should. I read that Harrison Ford took a reduced rate for Morning Glory and in that same article that big stars accustomed to getting large upfront salaries plus backend points were a thing of the past, save for Will Smith perhaps.