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TheStar Warsfranchise is among the biggest cinematic franchises in the world. Thanks to its unique mythos, unconventional settings, and intriguing characters, it has grossed close to $65 billion worldwide, enabling its numerous actors to amass a fortune in millions.
While some actors like Harrison Ford and Mark Hamil earned tens of millions, others like John Boyega have been barely able to scrap enough. Which brings us to the question, was Boyega really paid less than he deserved?
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Was John Boyega Criminally Underpaid ForStar Wars?
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Star Warshas generated billions in ticket sales as well as earned millions in merchandise sales, making it one of the most successful franchises in the whole wide world. Its success has led the franchise’s creator and director,George Lucas, to become one of the most successful and rich personalities in the world of entertainment.
While actors likeHarrison Ford,Mark Hamill, andAlec Guinnesshave gone on to earn millions thanks to their titular roles in the franchise, actors likeJohn Boyegahave only earned low six-figure salaries. As perVariety, the actor only earned a a low six figure salary in the range of $100,000 to $300,000 for hisStar Warsdebut in the movieThe Force Awakens.
Despite the movie being one of the highest grossing movies of all times and the highest grossing movie in the franchise at $2 billion (viaBox Office Mojo), the lead surprisingly received a salary almost 50 times less than Ford, who as per Variety reportedly earned between $10-20 million for his role.
While the salary does look exteremely less, it must be noted that Boyega, as well as his co-star Daisy Ridley (who earned a similar salary) were relatively unknown and beginners in the film industry. Furthermore, since it was a franchise movie the actor would have signed up for far more in the later installments since as perCelebrity Net Worth, the actor is now worth $8 million.
Also Read:Daisy Ridley Was a Barmaid For 2 Years in a Pub Before $150,000 Offer From Star Wars Franchise Changed Her Life Completely
John Boyega Isn’t The Only Actor Who Was Paid A Low Salary For Franchise Debut
John Boyega’sStar Warsdebut salary might look a lot less but it is pretty much an established norm in Hollywood for beginners to earn a comparatively less amout when making their franchise debuts. Boyega’s co-star,Daisy Ridleytoo earned a similar salary as him because she too was a beginner.
Meanwhile, actors likeTom Hollandwas paid only $250k for his first appearence as Spider-Man, and went on to earn $500k for his first stand alone movie (viaCosmopolitan), while his Marvel co-starChris Evansmade only $300,000 for his first appearence as Captain Amaerica (viaScreen Rant). Similarly,Orlando Bloom, when he first signed up for theLord of the Ringsfranchise, was paid only $175k (vianzherald.co.nz).
Hence, John Boyega wasn’t criminally underpaid for hisStar Warsdebut for most actors in their franchise debut earn in the same salary range and go on to negotiate hgher salaries in subsequent movies. Furthermore, no franchise wants to take the risk of paying a high salary for new actors so to minimize their losses in case the series never takes off.
TheStar Warsfranchise can be streamed on Disney+.
Maria Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2703
Maria Sultan is a dedicated News Content Writer at FandomWire. With over five years of professional experience and hundreds of published articles, she brings a wealth of expertise to her coverage of Marvel, K-dramas, and the latest on streaming platforms.Her work is not just about reporting news; it’s about providing insightful perspectives on the entertainment trends that matter most.
