The road to Deadpool’s success hasn’t been all smooth considering for nearly a decade, Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool reboot was struggling to get green-lit by 20th Century Studios. Ultimately, it was Reynolds’ grit that transformed it into a billion-dollar franchise, paving the way for two more instalments. Amid the success of Deadpool and Wolverine, here’s a look at how the actor’s salary has seen a surge across the franchise.
Starting from a modest budget of USD 58 million for Deadpool (2016), the enormous budget of Reynolds’ latest flick in the franchise, Deadpool & Wolverine, is a testimony of its phenomenal success.
Over the last three decades, Ryan Reynolds has forged an impressive oeuvre in Hollywood. However, Deadpool was a significant turning point in his career. As it became the fourth highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, its immense success led to the 2018 sequel, Deadpool 2. Both the films were a critical and commercial hit, reviving Reynolds’ career by showcasing his comedic talent and charisma.
Apart from the loud blabbermouth unleashing a tsunami of cuss words, mocking the very studio giants that produced the films and turning the screen bloody in every other scene, all the Deadpool films have another thing in common — Reynolds’ heavy investment as an actor, writer and producer.
The actor spent every waking moment thinking about the Deadpool franchise and was even invested in the micro details of his plans to bring back the popular comic book hero to the silver screen. So how handsomely was he paid for it? Let’s take a look at the salary of Ryan Reynolds for all the Deadpool films, including 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine.
Thanks to his multiple box-office hits, including the Deadpool outings, Ryan Reynolds has a net worth of USD 350 million, according to celebrity wealth tracker Celebrity Net Worth. However, the success of Deadpool & Wolverine is likely to give a massive boost to this figure. Here’s a detailed breakdown of his earnings from the franchise.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the actor was rumoured to be paid a base salary of USD 2 million for the first film. But since the R-rated superhero franchise had a humble beginning under the banner of 20th Century Fox, Reynolds “let go” of the amount. He did it to ensure his vision came true on screen without any compromises.
In an interview with The New York Times, ahead of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s release, Reynolds revealed that he reached into his pockets to pay his co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to be on the sets after Fox Studios refused to pay them. He paid them from “the little salary” he had left to form a “de facto writers room”
Reynolds’ unwavering commitment and trust in the movie finally paid off as Deadpool became one of the most successful R-rated films in box-office history with a worldwide collection of USD 782.6 million. Thanks to the massive commercial success, Reynolds’ salary increased nearly tenfold after taking home his undisclosed profit share.
The second instalment of the franchise did not disappoint fans. The film utilised Merc with a Mouth’s foul humour to its fullest to deliver an action-packed title with the signature fourth-wall-breaking humour. Deadpool 2 was a critical hit and solidified the anti-hero’s place in Marvel’s Hall of Fame.
The success of the first film warranted a USD 20 million raise for Ryan Reynolds. The actor allegedly earned USD 30-40 million (MYR 135- 180 million approx) after including the profits of Deadpool 2.
The David Leitch directorial minted over USD 785 million at the worldwide box office. It is the third highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. The budget for Deadpool 2 was USD 110 million (MYR 496 million approx).
The budget of Deadpool & Wolverine was USD 200 million, making it the most expensive film in the franchise. And, Ryan Reynolds not only starred but also co-wrote and co-produced Deadpool & Wolverine.
For the third instalment, the wise-cracking anti-hero reunited with his ‘best buddy’, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The duo embarks on a mission to save Deadpool’s universe from extinction.
The Shawn Levy directorial ended up breaking multiple records at the box office by opening at USD 444.1 million worldwide. At the time of writing this, Deadpool & Wolverine has earned over USD 590.6 million globally. Needless to say, the Deadpool & Wolverine cast took home a hefty salary.
According to a Showbiz Galore report, Ryan Reynolds was rumoured to be paid roughly USD 30 million to star in Deadpool & Wolverine. Considering Reynolds’ profit-sharing contract for previous Deadpool films, it is safe to say that the actor will be making a fortune from the Deadpool & Wolverine revenue.
On the other hand, Hugh Jackman, the veteran superhero, was allegedly paid USD 20 Million.
(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Deadpool & Wolverine/ IMDb)
This story first appeared on Augustman Malaysia.
Princia is an entertainment writer and pop culture addict whose eyes sparkle at the sight of true crime docu-dramas. In her free time, she consumes an unhealthy amount of Korean dramas and anime. She has ..Read More
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