Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg collaborated for the second time in the 2016 film Deepwater Horizon. The film, based on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion, earned praise from critics but failed to attract a significant audience in theaters. The film made only under $122 million, resulting in a substantial loss of over $60 million for the producers. Interestingly, Wahlberg took home a hefty paycheck of over $15 million from the film.
Wahlberg’s salary range of $15-17 million for movies like Deepwater Horizon, Daddy’s Home sequel, and the fifth Transformers movie, catapulted him to the highest-paid actor in 2017. Despite the big loss for the studio, the film was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects.
Mark Wahlberg’s Movie Lost $60 Million But Earned Him Over $15 Million
Peter Berg, helming Deepwater Horizon, delivered a well-made disaster movie based on real events. The film even received an 82% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film’s initial budget stood at a whopping $156 million, but it was cut down to around $120 million after Louisiana state waived $37.7 million in tax incentives. This decision was heavily criticized at the time, given the state was scrambling for resources after a Biblical flood.
Despite the reduced budget and favorable reviews, the film struggled to recoup its budget. Mark Wahlberg had earlier collaborated with Berg on the $152 million grossing film, Lone Survivor. However, they couldn’t recreate the same hype in theaters for Deepwater Horizon as it opened with only $18 million, a significant contrast to the $37.8 million opening of Lone Survivor.
By the end of its theatrical run, the film grossed $61.4 million in domestic box office and $121.7 million worldwide. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the overall loss for Lionsgate studio likely amounted to more than $60 million, although the studio maintained that their estimated loss was $31 million. Interestingly, Wahlberg received his negotiated salary of over $15 million for the film, despite it being one of the biggest box office bombs of 2016.
According to a 2017 THR article, the year in which he was dubbed the highest-paid actor, the salaries from movies, including Deepwater Horizon, contributed to his $90 million worth in the previous year. This was not the first time that critics raised their eyebrows at Mark Wahlberg’s salary.
Mark Wahlberg’s $1.5 Million Compensation For Reshoots Received Backlash
In the wake of the s*xual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey, director Ridley Scott decided to reshoot scenes in his film All the Money in the World featuring Spacey. The reshoots sparked a huge controversy when the male lead, Wahlberg, received $1.5 million, while his co-star and the female lead, Michelle Williams, received less than $1,000 for the same.
The controversy also brought attention to the significant gender pay gap in Hollywood. The Instant Family actor responded to the issue by donating his reshoot salary to the Time’s Up initiative, a movement against s*xual harassment co-founded by Williams. According to The Guardian, Wahlberg also stated that he “100%” supported the right to fair pay in the film industry.
Deepwater Horizon is now available for rent on AppleTV+.
