The much-awaited “Superman” reboot took flight, and in its wake were rumors of the cast members’ paychecks, providing us with a fascinating glimpse of the new DC Universe’s strategic fiscal blueprint. Though Hollywood tentpole pictures are all too familiar with bank-robbing checks for their headliners, David Corenswet, clad in the classic red and blue, and Rachel Brosnahan, as fearless Lois Lane, received woefully little for playing their starring roles. This calculated approach by DC Studios seems to be an intentional attempt at developing fresh franchise-facing talent instead of going full throttle and draining the methods of recruiting already established A-listers.
New Era, New Pay Scale: Establishing the DCU Foundation
Moving away from the previous superhero film decision, both Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet have apparently been paid $750,000 each for their first go-rounds as Superman and Lois Lane. The amount, while substantial for most, is lower than one might otherwise expect the headliners of a big superhero tentpole movie to be getting for a film intended to launch an entire cinematic universe. For comparison, Henry Cavill was paid back somewhere in the range of $300,000 for his initial Superman gig in “Man of Steel” ten years ago, suggesting Corenswet’s initial compensation is a raise for a neophyte actor playing the role. But it’s small beans compared to the multi-million contracts that veteran superhero actors sign on a regular basis. This suggests a clear plan on the part of DC Studios and James Gunn to spend the money on long-term building of their newcomers. By paying a guaranteed salary with huge backend incentives possible based on box office, the studio is betting on success in the future and freeing up space elsewhere in budgets for the ambitious DCU vision.
Villain’s Verdict: Nicholas Hoult’s Higher Haul
Much to everyone’s surprise, though, the best-paid actor in the “Superman” movie is not the Man of Steel himself but his dark antagonist Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult. Hoult apparently earned himself a $2 million salary for his part. This salary gap is due to Hoult’s more stable career and higher recognition in Hollywood, having acted in large franchises like “X-Men” and prestige movies like “Nosferatu” and “The Menu.” His stable box office draw and longer resume clearly had a lot to do with his higher negotiating leverage. Despite the initial salary gap, what is interesting to know is that all three of the leading stars – Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult – reportedly renegotiated performance bonuses. This would mean that if “Superman” flies high at the box office, their final earnings could receive a major bump, aligning their pay with the more success the film enjoys.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
