Star salaries coming down in Hollywood - report-(more work to do)

reuteurs ^ | 5.2.06 | na

[Flavius]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Poor Jim Carrey. His movies have raked in nearly $2 billion at box offices, but now a leading entertainment magazine says the comedian's asking price of $25 million a film has become "a bit of a gamble." ADVERTISEMENT

In its issue out this week, Entertainment Weekly rates top stars on whether they are worth the money.

Among those whose asking prices have become too high are Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy, the magazine said.

It added that after years of ever-rising star salaries, the prices for top talent are now coming down because the cost of making movies is going up, among other issues. "It's long overdue," former Twentieth Century Fox Chairman Bill Mechanic told the magazine.

Entertainment Weekly quoted several studio executives as saying the rising cost of production has led many stars to take large parts of their fees from revenue and profit participation that may never materialize if films flop at box offices.

Carrey, star of hits like "Bruce Almighty," had been a big beneficiary of the 1990s' salary run-up during which he saw his paycheck hit the $25 million mark.

However, his recent big-budget movies like "Fun with Dick and Jane" barely topped $100 million in domestic ticket sales, leaving his star tarnished, the magazine said.

Carrey's not the only one. Kidman is considered a risky bet after the box office failure of "Bewitched" and "The Stepford Wives" among other recent films.

Will Ferrell's $20 million also made the list of risky bets given recent box office disappointments and Eddie Murphy's $20 million was considered downright "too pricey."

But Tom Hanks' $25 million was thought to be "worth every penny" because he remains "one of the most bankable brand names in the world." Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, at $5 million to $7 million a picture, and Rachel McAdams at $3 million to $4 million, were bargains.

[Denver Ditdat]

Yep. There's probably one of him wearing his star out there somewhere, but I didn't find it in a quick search.

I sure wish the studios would get cracking and release more of the old classics on DVD. I'd love to see Jimmy Stewart and Harry Morgan in the cockpit of a B-36 in a digitally restored version of "Strategic Air Command".

[hypocritter]

Ben Stiller's shtick was old by the time he did Meet The Parents I.

I would go back even further: The Ben Stiller Show.

[derllak]

I don't even have a clue who Rachel is! None of them are worth my time as far as I'm concerned. They all look alike to me!

[Graybeard58]

After Stewart's death in 1997, Air Power History published a memoriam that included this little-known item: "In 1966, during his annual two weeks of active duty, Stewart requested a combat assignment and participated in a bombing strike over Vietnam. Stewart's stepson, 1st Lt. Ronald McLean, was killed at age 24 in the Vietnam War.

[manwiththehands]

"Wellllll alrighty then!"

[JusPasenThru]

Carey actually did a good job in "The Eternal Sunshine". Everything else he's done sucks.

[Flavius]

thast to bad he was a good actor

[Theresawithanh]

I found it to be hilarious, but then I like the more slapstick and goofy films. I went with a group of girlfriends, and we all liked the movie. There is one scene when he and his wife are costumed when they rob a bank that is ROFL funny, IMO!

I know I saw the original but I don't remember too much about it.

[Always Right]

Compared to Eddy Murphy, I am a bargin at a mere $1 million. And BTW, I am currently available.

[hodaka]

Hell they ought to take some of that money and give it to the girls in the porn industry. It is amazing what those girls are doing now on film, it would make "The Devil in Miss Jones" look like an R movie.

[lmr]

He was really funny when he was with SNL a bazillion years ago.

Jim Carrey was never on SNL. He was on a show similar to that that aired on Fox back in the day, it was called "In Living Color", He was the only only white male comedian on the show, alot of funny people on there including much of the Wayans family, Damon, Keenan-Ivory, Kim, Shawn and others. Jim Carrey was by far the funniest person on that show and when he left it went downhill fast. I remember skits like the "Wrath of Farrakhan" where he played Captain Kirk, Fire-Marshall Bill and Vera the barbarian chick. He also once did an impression of Vanilla Ice that was totally hilarious.

[freedumb2003]

I looked him up on IMDB and stopped when I saw SNL.

I should have remembered "Firemarshall Bill" from In Living Color.

That also was a very funny show in the first 2 or 3 years. Then it started to get too Low Street for my likes.

[Tanniker Smith]

Hey, these Hollywood execs have to put gasoline in their chaffeured-drvien Bentleys just like the rest of us. I can't afford to give Carrey $25 million, and neither can they.

[doesnt suffer fools gladly]

Another reason the Hollyweirdos will have to take a cut in pay is because they keep cranking out socialist crap that nobody cares about. Box office bombs or close to it.

Brokeback Mountain, Syriana, Good Night, Good Luck. To pay a star 20 million for these types of movies isn't worth it to the studios.

[Calvin Locke]

I saw a segment somewhere, about a year ago. Take the $20M, take out the agent and manager cuts, and it's only $16M.

Then there are taxes, and other expenses, and that $20M doesn't look like much....(sound of violins)

[discostu]

Doesn't look like stars in general are having their salaries go down, just stars whose last few movies flopped and therefore they might not be stars anymore. That's a non-story, every minute in Hollywood there's a list of people whose prices are going up and another list whose prices are going down.

[stands2reason]

I know wishing that United 93 creams MI3 this weekend is a pipe dream, but a girl can pipe dream, can't she? (As long as she doesn't have to drive anywhere for awhile...)

;-)

Oooooh, 48HRS is on...

"Tell me a bedtime story, Jack."
"F--- you!"
"Oh, that's my favorite!"

[ansel12]

""In 1966, during his annual two weeks of active duty, Stewart requested a combat assignment and participated in a bombing strike over Vietnam. Stewart's stepson, 1st Lt. Ronald McLean, was killed at age 24 in the Vietnam War."

Talk about your rare breed.

[Revolting cat!]

that $20M doesn't look like much....

Damn right! And you have to work for it six to eight weeks too, sitting in that damn trailer waiting much of the time, and then having to read your lines off a teleprompter without your reading glasses!

[Porterville]

In the words of Howard Hughes to Catherine Hepburn, "Remember, you'll always be just an actress"

And that's it.