Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise will earn more than R1.6 billion for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Image via Twitter @JohnDiesattheEn

Hollywood’s highest earners: Tom Cruise nets cool R1.7bn for ‘Top Gun’

Oscar-nominated actor Tom Cruise will reportedly earn more than R1.7 billion from the action-packed film ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise will earn more than R1.6 billion for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Image via Twitter @JohnDiesattheEn

American actor Tom Cruise is shining bright as Hollywood’s highest earner following the release of the action-packed Top Gun: Maverick in May. According to Variety, Cruise will net more than $100 million (R1.7 billion) from his salary, ticket sales and his share of streaming revenue. 

Despite the Oscars slap drama, Will Smith follows behind Cruise with a reported $35 million (R603 million) for the upcoming thriller film, Emancipation

ALSO READ: ‘Top Gun’ shoe? Journo ‘eats’ his words as Tom Cruise returns [watch]

TOM CRUISE FLIES HIGH AS HOLLYWOOD’S HIGHEST EARNER 

More than 30 years after the release of the original Top Gun, the high-flyers reunited for the film’s sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, with Tom Cruise still flying the plane as the lead character. The film was officially released on 29 May and thousands of people headed to the cinema to catch all the action. 

According to Variety, the film reeled in more than $1.2 billion (R20.6 billion) at the box office and cemented Cruise as Hollywood’s highest earner with R1.7 billion. 

“I would never bet against Tom Cruise,” a studio executive told the publication. 

“Most actors aren’t worth what you pay them, but Cruise and maybe Dwayne Johnson justify their salaries.”

WATCH THE ‘TOP GUN: MAVERICK’ TRAILER HERE 

WILL SMITH SCORES SECOND PLACE 

Oscar-winning actor Will Smith will star as the lead in the upcoming thriller film, Emancipation, set to be released in 2023. The film is based on the true story of a runaway slave who aims to reach the Union Army. 

The film, set to be released on Apple TV+, was pushed from 2022 to 2023 following the Oscars slap drama. 

Emancipation, written by William N Collage and directed by Antoine Fuqua, also stars Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Mustafa Shakir and Steven Ogg. 

The film makes Will Smith Hollywood’s second-highest earner with $35 million (R601 million). 

ALSO READ: Tom Cruise back in action! First-look at ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ trailer

TOP 10 HOLLYWOOD HIGHEST-EARNERS 

  1. Tom Cruise: Top Gun: Maverick – $100 million (R1.6 billion)
  2. Will Smith: Emancipation – $35 million (R603 million)
  3. Leonardo DiCaprio: Killers of the Flower Moon – $30 million (R517 million)
  4. Brad Pitt: Formula 1 Drama – $30 million (R517 million)
  5. Dwayne Johnson: Black Adam – $22.5 million (R388 million)
  6. Will Ferrell: Spirited – $20 million (R344 million)
  7. Chris Hemsworth: Extraction 2 – $20 million (R344 million)
  8. Vin Diesel: Fast X – $20 million (R344 million)
  9. Tom Hardy: Venom 3 – $20 million (R344 million)
  10. Joaquin Phoenix: Joker 2 – $20 million (R344 million)