Hollywood stars make more for a single movie than the majority of us will ever see in our lifetimes, but that didn’t stop some fans from voicing their surprise at Robert Pattinson’s pay packet for rebooting one of pop culture’s most recognizable and beloved icons as the leading man of Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
$3 million is admittedly almost double what Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Holland made for Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor and Spider-Man: Homecoming combined, but when Daniel Craig signs a $100 million deal for a pair of Knives Out sequels and Denzel Washington nets $40 million despite The Little Things bombing, it’s not a ludicrous sum for such a high profile role.
Naturally, should The Batman find success at the box office then Pattinson will earn a significant amount of cash through profit participation and milestone bonuses, but we’re hearing from our sources – the same ones who told us Jared Leto’s Joker was getting a brand new look for Zack Snyder’s Justice League long before it was confirmed – that the 35 year-old is already seeking a substantial increase for any sequels.
Not to use the RDJ comparison too much, but once Iron Man hit big he saw his upfront takings rise from $500,000 to $10 million for Iron Man 2, so Pattinson could realistically expect to be included in the eight-figure club should The Batman perform in line with studio expectations. He’s also recently signed a first-look development deal with WarnerMedia for both film and television projects, so it can’t be ruled out that he might take a more hands-on role behind the camera as the franchise develops, which in turn would boost his personal coffers.