THR reveals that Jennifer Lawrence is set to earn a $20 million payday for the long developing sci-fi tale "Passengers." However, this is causing some consternation for Sony‘s new budget conscious head, Tom Rothman. Combined with $3 million being paid to "The Imitation Game" director Morten Tyldum, another $10 million to Chris Pratt (who could angle for more if "Jurassic World" does well), but costs associated with previous iterations, the price tag before even a single frame of the movie has been shot is $40 million. The goal for the final budget is $80 million (though it could go as high as $95 million), which means Lawrence’s payday will be a quarter of the budget if that lower figure sticks. Welcome to Hollywood, folks.
READ MORE: 12 Indie Directors Who Jumped To Blockbuster
Obviously, Rothman is trying get a lot of those numbers down and reduce the size of backend deals, but the word is that Lawrence — who is banking $15 million for David O. Russell‘s "Joy" — and her team are holding firm. But this is a big spend on something that’s not a branded, blockbuster property particularly in a time when every studio is trying to pump out franchises and sequels. The Jon Spaihts ("Prometheus") penned movie takes place on an interstellar voyage to a distant planet. However, one passenger wakes up from cryogenic sleep 90 years early and makes the decision to awaken a female passenger, leading to a romance. So, probably not many explosions.
Rothman could theoretically kibosh the project, but no one is expecting him to do that. But it’s still an interesting window into the ways of Hollywood where accounting is also an expensive special effect.
Jolie-Depp had whammy bomb in Sony\’s The Tourist…based on terrif French thriller.
Hello, Josh King. This is a website for movie news. Where that info came from is of no concern to you or any reader. If you don\’t news about film then dont come here
*Jennifer needs a more proven track record as a box office hit where she is the sole lead(Hunger Games doesn\’t count as its a film adaptation of a book that would of been a box office hit regardless of who had the lead role)
$20 million is a bit much for a film that there is no guarantee that it will make back its budget. I think Jennifer needs a bigger track record of a film being a box office hit where she is the primary focus of the film(not the lead in a film adaptation of a book).
That said, I think any actor/actresses should be paid a salary based on how big their role is in the film
There is only one actor I would be happy to pay $20 million for.
Morten Tyldum is a fantastic director. He should have won more awards for TIG. Chris Pratt is not in Jennifer\’s league, no way does he deserve parity with her salary. And I\’d rather see Jennifer get the big bucks than the CEO of Dow Chemical. She earns every penny she gets.
Lawrence has earned her salary, and has proven her worth in both auteur-driven award season fare and franchise blockbusters. The real question is why they\’re given Morten Tyldum, a director with no discernible style, personality, or even talent (was there a blander, more formulaic bit of claptrap released last year?) $3 million. They could have got a talented young director with a point of view and an eye for composition for a third of that price.
in a free market system, it\’s all supply and demand, Benjamin. her films earn money, she\’s in high demand. hence, her new salary. deserves has nothing to do with it. she has earned her money.
Actually no one deserves to make that much money.
Chris Pratt needs a new agent. His deal should have given him financial parity with Lawrence provided that "Jurassic World" opened above a certain figure. This guy has new "Harrison Ford" written all over him and his current representation is apparently determined to sell him short.
Sorry, Mark, Jennifer doesn\’t need fake rumors to inflate her value. She\’s a star in TWO franchises already, an Oscar winner and 3 time nominee. She\’s worth every penny. She doesn\’t employ a full time PR team to plant pics of her going for coffee on a daily basis to try and make her seem relevant. She\’s arguably the most talented actress of her generation and she has all the awards, respect, and reviews to prove it.
I don\’t see why it is such a problem. I don\’t understand why they won\’t pay her $20mil and still not letting her go. That just proves that they desperately want her in the movie. And if Sandra Bullock can get 20, why can\’t she? If it\’s too much money, how come no one ever complain about Leo getting paid $25mil? Is this because she\’s a woman? Idk. But I\’m on J-Law\’s side. If they want her in the movie, pay her that much. If they don\’t, then drop her. As simple as that. But good luck Sony.
Did The Playlist report on THAT?
Mortdecai budget: $60 mil
Depp salary: $20 mil
So the f what? It\’s about time another woman joined the ranks of Jolie & Sandie. She\’s a global superstar. #EqualPay
Wow, I think you need to be a bit more venerable to command that salary, she\’s a bit overrated, but prolly deserving in global bankablitliy. I just don\’t get it or her, I finder her affable but not an acting heavyweight.
If there\’s one actress at the moment totally worth such a salary, then it\’s surely Jennifer Lawrence. I couldn\’t possibly agree more with Athena, I\’d watch the film for her and Chris Pratt not Pratt and someone else.
As messed up as that is, when you really think about it, I\’m sort of glad it\’s a woman who\’s at the top of the pay range here.
@Mark: Jennifer Lawrence is definitely worth it…THG, XMen, SLP, AH…1.2 billion in revenue, countless awards including Oscar moms,one win…aanother likely for JOY.
Yeah…pay Jennifer Lawrence what she was originally promised because she is worth it and because I will pay the price of a ticket to watch Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt…not Chris Pratt and someone else.
Sounds fair if you think how much money Jennifer Lawrence brings …
are you wage-shaming Jennifer Lawrence? finally another woman gets the big bucks and instead of congratulating her, you guys point out that it\’s more than her coworkers earn? yeah, Playlist scumbags strike again.
JLaw worth $20M salary. If Depp with all his flops has more than $20M so Lawrence with Hunger Games, Silver Linings, American Hustle X Men. Also an Oscarwin and 3 Nom, 2 Golden Globes, 1 Bafta, 2 Sag
You guys are indirectly reporting on content that was stolen from Sony. This is disappointing.
These are just rumors to enhance the career of Jennifer, like they did with the Scarlet to the sequence of The Avengers, she is not an actress worth a salary like that.
You don\’t have to have Jennifer Lawrence. If you don\’t want to pay the 20 million than get a smaller actress…The movie won\’t be the same but it will be cheaper to make. Jennifer Lawrence deserves it and she is right to leave them the final choice. That\’s how you do it. You want me? 20 million or bye.