• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
The Rock will be paid more than any actor has ever been paid for a single film in upcoming movie

Home> Entertainment> Film

Published 13:09 19 Jul 2023 GMT+1

The Rock will be paid more than any actor has ever been paid for a single film in upcoming movie

Dwayne Johnson is part of the star-studded cast of festive flick Red One.

Stefania Sarrubba

Stefania Sarrubba

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is reportedly receiving a hefty paycheck for one of his upcoming roles.

The former wrestler has made a career out of big action movies, which often came with salaries just as big, but he is expected to break the record for the highest-paid actor of all time in his new holiday movie.

The Rock is part of the star-studded cast of Prime Video's Red One, a Christmas action comedy also starring Marvel's ex-Captain America Chris Evans, Spider-Man's JK Simmons, Charlie's Angels' Lucy Liu, Big Mouth's Nick Kroll and Jumanji OG star Bonnie Hunt. Game of Thrones' Kristofer Hivju and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina's Kiernan Shipka also star.

Helmed by the new Jumanji films' director, Jake Kasdan, the film has released a few first images seeing The Rock clad in a red and black leather suit as Callum Draft, with Evans playing a character named Jack O'Malley. Meanwhile, Simmons and Hunt portray Santa Clause and Mrs Clause.

Advert

The Rock reunites with Jumanji director on Red One.
Instagram/@therock

Not much is known about the plot, but it seems viewers may be in for an high-octane festive ride thanks to the script penned by Fast & Furious's Chris Morgan from a story by Hiram Garcia.

As for Johnson, he isn't only taking the biggest cut among all of his cast members, but is also setting a new record for the actor receiving the highest upfront payment.

More and more prevalent in the era of streaming platform-produced movies, upfront payment simply means that the performer is paid before the film is released to an audience.

When the film is released in cinemas (not a given in the direct-to-streaming days), actors also receive a percentage of the profits the film generates after it break evens in the form of backend points.

Advert

If a film isn't released in theatres exclusively, it's common for the actor to try and negotiate a higher upfront fee. Which brings us back to The Rock, who's going home with a jaw-dropping $50 million for Red One.

Johnson surpasses Robert Downey Jr and Will Smith with his Red One paycheck.
Instagram/@therock

He surpasses the previous record for upfront payment, a tie between Robert Downey Jr in Captain America: Civil War and Will Smith in King Richard, both being paid $40 million upfront.

This is a staggering amount even for The Rock, whose compensation strategy had earned him $22 million for Disney's Jungle Cruise, $13 million more than his co-star Emily Blunt.

Blunt was recently among the stars walking out of the Oppenheimer premiere in London when the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike was announced on July 13.

Advert

The guild counts 160,000 members of film industry staff including some A-listers. Actors join the Writers Guild of America, who's been on strike for months now, after they failed to reach an agreement with studios around pay, conditions, and the implications of AI technology.

Featured Image Credit: PA / Alamy / Prime Video

Topics: Money, Celebrity, Dwayne Johnson, TV and Film, US News

Stefania Sarrubba
Stefania Sarrubba

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson surprises fans with new look ahead of upcoming role
  • The Rock makes devastating admission about family after showing off transformation for new film
  • Why The Rock was left in tears after 15-minute ovation for new biopic with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score
  • Highest paid actor of 2024 made $50 million from one movie as top 10 list revealed

Choose your content:

an hour ago
4 hours ago
18 hours ago
  • XX
    an hour ago

    Why Venice Film Festival does standing ovations as The Rock gets 15 minute applause

    Film festival standing ovations seem to be getting longer and longer - so we looked at why

    Entertainment
  • Jeff Spicer/WireImageJeff Spicer/WireImage
    4 hours ago

    Clarkson, Hammond and May have just made £6 million each in major business move

    The TV titans each have a tidy windfall coming their way, according to reports

    Entertainment
  • Columbia PicturesColumbia Pictures
    4 hours ago

    First trailer for 28 Years Later sequel released as Cillian Murphy return confirmed

    28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will be in cinemas on 16 January 2026

    Entertainment

    breaking

  • Netflix Netflix
    18 hours ago

    How mother who catfished and sent death threats to own daughter was able to secretly send '40-50' texts a day

    Kendra Licari sent as many as 40-50 texts a day to her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend, including death threats

    Entertainment