Batman is one of the most popular and enduring superheroes of all time. And this franchise has featured some of the biggest names in Hollywood. From Adam West, and Michael Keaton to Christian Bale and Ben Affleck- each actor has brought their unique essence to this timeless and beloved character.
But, Ben Affleck or Christian Bale is not the highest-paid actor in DC’s Batman franchise. It’s The Departed star Jack Nicholson, who surpassed everyone at that time in terms of paycheck.
How Jack Nicholson Earned More than the Rest?
Jack Nicholson portrayed Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman and received a $6 million upfront salary. But he at the end of the movie’s run made a staggering amount of money from it which made him the highest-paid actor in the Batman franchise.
Seeing the potential of the movie, The Shining actor negotiated a contract that gave him a percentage of the film’s profits. This was a very smart move on Nicholson’s part, as Batman was a huge box-office success, grossing over $411 million worldwide. And thus Nicholson was said to have earned more than $50 million.
Nicholson just said 585 words in the entirety of Batman and he made this big fat payday of anywhere between $164-166k per word.
How Much Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, or Arnold Schwarzenegger Earned in the Batman Franchise?
Ben Affleck made his debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) before appearing in Suicide Squad (2016) and Justice League (2017). Affleck’s portrayal of Batman was darker and more brooding than previous interpretations of the character. He was paid between $10 and $20 million for his role as Batman.
Christian Bale played Batman Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). According to reports, Bale made $9 million for Batman Begins, $10 million for The Dark Knight plus a hefty bonus of $20 million, and $15 million for The Dark Knight Rises.
Arnold Schwarzenegger played the villain Mr. Freeze in Joel Schumacher’s 1997 film Batman & Robin. Batman and Robin was the fourth film in the Batman franchise and was directed by Joel Schumacher. The film had a massive budget, estimated to be between $125 million and $160 million. Schwarzenegger earned a whopping $25 million for his role as Mr. Freeze.
Batman is available for streaming on Prime Video and can be bought/rented on Apple TV.
