Money makes the world go round, even if it meanspaying an actor an absolutely obscene amountof money to show their mug on-screen. Agood bit of the acting industryis made up of performers who make an average living, but most of it consists of underpaid performers who are deprived of the kind of pay that they deserve. Thankfully, we areliving in a post-SAG-AFTRA-strike world, and most on-screen talent is set up to be paid a more livable wage from here on out. While those two demographics make up the greatest number of actors in the film and TV industries,there are still certain icons who get paid a monstrous sum of cash to pop up in a movie.
But who has been paid the very most to appear in one movie? Emphasis on one movie, not a franchise. That actor would be screen-legendJack Nicholson, with the role being that of Jack Napier, also known as The Joker, in 1989’sBatman. It’s one of the most iconic superhero movies there is, so this shouldn’t be that big of a surprise. Still, to lock him into the picture, a pretty lucrative deal wasset up between Nicholson and the studio. Essentially, he wasn’t just set up to be paid a flat sum of cash upfront. Chunks of the final box office and profits stemming fromBatmanmerchandise were put into place so that they would land straight in the actor’s wallet. The final amount isn’t quite certain, but one thing is for sure:Jack Nicholson walked away from his experience inBatmanas the highest-paid actor for a single movie.
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.
‘Batman’ Was an Unprecedented Superhero Blockbuster
By today’s standards,Batman(fancilyreferred to by many asBatman ‘89) isn’t the most explosive or exciting movie about the Caped Crusader that’s ever been made, but it’s still a pretty damn good one.Tim Burtonbuilt Gotham City into its most gothic form yet. Superhero movies aren’t even remotely this stylish anymore, nor are they this lively!Michael Keatonoccupies the titular role of Batman but might be even better as Bruce Wayne. WhileChristopher Reevemight have been fantastic as Superman, it’sKeaton who first demonstrated just how different a superhero can be from their alter ego. Comic-book movie actors have chased this level of duality ever since. He’s menacing (and a bit maniacal) as Batman and is charming as Bruce — the perfect fit for the role.
But somehow, Michael Keaton doesn’t occupy the top-billing spot in this movie.The guy playing Batmanisn’t the first one named in the advertised credits ofBatman. Well, who in the world is it? It should surprise no one thatJack Nicholson’s name is placed first and foremost on the film’s iconic poster.
Jack Nicholson Was Allergic to His Joker Makeup in ‘Batman’
The Clown Prince of Crime is ready for his close-up, after getting a little creative.
By 1989, Jack Nicholson Was One of the Biggest Movie Stars in the World
Starting with the obvious,Nicholson was already a movie iconby the time this movie came out. By the late ’80s, he had already been nominated for numerous Oscars for his work inmovies likeEasy Rider,Five Easy Pieces,The Last Detail,Chinatown,Ironweed, and more! He even won Best Actor forOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, an award that will cement anyone and everyone into becoming a bonafide Hollywood star. Keaton was a reliable screen presence at the time, butthere’s no way that he could be marketed as a better draw than his Clown Prince co-star. However, it wasn’t just his track record and charisma that earned Jack Nicholsonthe top-billing inBatman. Something else had to be afoot.
What Led Jack Nicholson To Become the Highest-Paid Actor for One Movie?
While it isn’t certain thatthis is what made Nicholsonthe face ofBatman, it probably had a lot to do with it. That would be the enormous, gargantuan sum of cash that he was promised for his work. From the get-go, his initial contract forBatmanpromised him $6 million upfront, a financial knock by his usual terms, considering he typically got $10 million every time he signed on for a picture. However, he also requested that, if the movie was successful, he would be paid apercentage of the final gross. So basically, whatever the final box office results turned out to be, he would be handed a considerable chunk of that money on top of his $6 million signing pay. Along with all of this other cash, Nicholson was guaranteed a cut of any profits stemming from Joker-related merchandise.Batmanwas a marketing and merchandising juggernaut, with toys, costumes, a video game, and more being made in its wake. You can only imagine what this put in Nicholson’s wallet. Can someone sign this kind of deal for me, too?
It hasn’t been confirmed what the defined percentage of the final gross was, nor do we know exactly how much Nicholson made off of Joker-related merch. What we do know is that his total combined earnings chalked up to almost $90 million, which amounts to $194 million after adjusting for inflation. Whileactors likeRobert Downey Jr.have been thrown boatloads of cash for variousIron Manprojects, that pay was spread across a series of stand-alone films, crossover events, and supporting appearances. Drumming up a deal like this was completely unprecedented at the time! In this age of franchises and big intellectual properties running rampant throughout the movie industry, it’s not impossible to imagine somebody else coming along and striking up a similar set of circumstances. However, with the figurative “inflation ball” being in Nicholson’s court, it’s unlikely thatanyone will be able to come alongand dethrone him any time soon. Until then,you will not be able to find anyone who has made as much for one single role in a movie as Jack Nicholson did forBatman.
If it weren’t for Jack Nicholson’s work,Batmanwouldn’t be remembered in the same way that it is today. His battles with Batman, endless list of quotes,incredible design, and more than anything, absolutely bombastic performance continue to make him one of thegreatest comic book movie villainsto date. You never know — that could also be motivation stemming from being promised an enormous sum of money. If I were set up to become the highest-paid actor for one movie in history, I’d probably bring home the goods too!
Batmanis available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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