Will Ferrell Is Hollywood's Most Overpaid Star: Forbes

[edonline]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/11/18/arts/entertainment-us-ferrell.html

The New York Times

November 18, 2009
Will Ferrell Is Hollywood's Most Overpaid Star: Forbes
By REUTERS

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Funnyman Will Ferrell and British actor Ewan McGregor on Wednesday headed a Forbes.com list of Hollywood's most overpaid stars when looking at the financial returns of their movies.

Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey also made the top 10 tally of actors who cost more to hire than they appear to be worth at box offices.

Ferrell took first place largely due to the flop of his summer 2009 movie "Land of the Lost", which Forbes said cost an estimated $100 million to make but earned just $65 million at box offices worldwide for movie studio Universal Pictures.

The movie followed a disappointing $43 million box office for Ferrell's 2008 outing "Semi-Pro", and $128 million for "Step Brothers".

Using a formula that calculated the actor's estimated salary on each film, including DVD and TV sales, compared to the film's revenues from theater box offices and elsewhere, Forbes.com said that for every dollar Ferrell was paid, his films earned an average $3.29.

To create the list, the financial news website looked at Hollywood's 100 biggest stars who had lead performances in at least three widely distributed movies in the last five years.

McGregor, best known for "Trainspotting" and his work in the "Star Wars" franchise, is not among Hollywood's highest paid actors but has recently proved a poor investment, averaging a return of $3.75.

Cruise, considered one of the biggest players in Hollywood, came sixth on the list with a return on investment of $7.18. Forbes said he had benefited from deals where he took nothing up front in return for a portion of the box-office gross. The deal resulted in Cruise getting paid for films like "Lions for Lambs" even if the studio did not recoup its money.

Eddie Murphy commanded a high salary after the success of family comedies like "The Nutty Professor". But his most recent films "Meet Dave" and "Imagine That" were box office duds, taking Murphy to fourth place for earning an average $4.43 for each dollar he was paid, Forbes.com said.

Forbes 10 Most Overpaid Stars were;

1. Will Ferrell ($3.29)

2. Ewan McGregor ($3.75)

3. Billy Bob Thornton ($4)

4. Eddie Murphy ($4.43)

5. Ice Cube ($4.77)

6. Tom Cruise ($7.18)

7. Drew Barrymore ($7.43)

8. Leonardo DiCaprio ($7.52)

9. Samuel Jackson ($8.59)

10. Jim Carrey ($8.62)

[The Postmaster General]

That's good to see Nicole Kidman off the list. I like her.

[Hey Man]

I am surprised Cameron Diaz isn't there - she has become box office poison and it seems no one cares about her anymore.

[The Postmaster General]

I like her too, but you have a good point. Between the Shrek movies and Charlies Angels, I'm surprised she hasn't bankrupted Hollywood.

[Scarface98.9]

I would've thought Australia would keep Kidman on the list, even a year later

[jolanar]

These are just for this year? Or is it of the last 5 years?

[Buck Turgidson]

I am surprised Cameron Diaz isn't there - she has become box office poison and it seems no one cares about her anymore.Some of us have hated her for a long, long time.

[ericdraven]

I would've thought Australia would keep Kidman on the list, even a year later

yeah, and she keeps releasing shit movie after shit movie

[Hey Man]

I like her too, but you have a good point. Between the Shrek movies and Charlies Angels, I'm surprised she hasn't bankrupted Hollywood.

Meg Ryan was popular once too.

[Smiert Spionam]

DiCaprio?






..........really?

[ilovemovies]

I'm not that surprised about Dicaprio being there. Hasn't his last few movies tanked?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think Revolutionary Road and Body of Lies were big hits.

[echo_bravo]

I am not really surprised by Leo being on the list either. He isnt anyway near the boxoffice draw he was back in his Titanic days.

I cant believe he still gets payed 20 million a film too (I could be wrong though).

The Departed did really well, but thats because it also had Damon and Jack in it and it was directed by Scorsese.

I do think Inception will be huge though.

[The Postmaster General]

Meg Ryan was popular once too.

Right, and she's not on the list either. What's your point?

[Reigh Kaufman]

Right, and she's not on the list either. What's your point?

Meg Ryan was popular once.

It was on TMZ.

[Frosty_86]

I think Murphy should be number 1 and Ferrell number 2. Dicaprio shouldnt be on the list, Body of Lies tanked and Revolutionary Road didnt do so hot but it was limited release and it was critical success it wasnt the type of movie that would appeal to large audiences. I really only think the reason why McGregor's on there is because he hasnt done any thing big since Star Wars most of what he's been doing are not the type of movies that would be big blockbusters. I totally agree with Billy Bob and Jim Carrey being on the list because the movies theyve been doing are meant to be big financial successes and they havent been.

I really dont think this list is fair because they dont really go by the whole body of work of the actors. They only go by the past couple of years and movies hell every actor is going to have something that completely tanks.

[BakeTheMooCow]

I like her too, but you have a good point. Between the Shrek movies and Charlies Angels, I'm surprised she hasn't bankrupted Hollywood.

Haha! I checked on Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/30/jolie-roberts-streep-business-media-most-bankable-actresses_slide_25.html?thisSpeed=15000) and she's #12 on the list of most bankable actresses. As usual, Hey Man has no idea.

[Venus Venusia]

Some of us have hated her for a long, long time.

Hahahahahahahahahaha. Yes.

[BakeTheMooCow]

Well, I hate Cameron Diaz too and have never been impressed with her outside of 'Being John Malkovich'. But numbers don't lie.

[bigred760]

Surprised to see some up there. Not so surprised to see others. Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, and Ice Cube are no-brainers. DiCaprio, Cruise, MacGregor, and Barrymore were a bit unexpected.

[Hey Man]

Haha! I checked on Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/30/jolie-roberts-streep-business-media-most-bankable-actresses_slide_25.html?thisSpeed=15000) and she's #12 on the list of most bankable actresses. As usual, Hey Man has no idea.

That's funny - her last 4 movies tanked. I mean fucking tanked. THOSE numbers don't lie.

[Hey Man]

Right, and she's not on the list either. What's your point?

They both can't open a movie.

[The Postmaster General]

They both can't open a movie.

Most of the people on that list of least bankable actors are generally the main draw towards their respective movies. I'm still not sure what point you are trying to make. It's basically a list of actors who are paid too much. At the same time, you can look at previous years and they were on the most bankable actor lists. They are actors who are generally a main draw toward their respective movies. Nothing you have said has exactly explained why you think Diaz should be on list other than you don't like her or Meg Ryan. That's just great, but the way you are responding to my posts makes me feel like we're just moments away from you singing "Daisy Daisy" only more random and incongruent.

'Tis be cool though. Is Adam Sandler still the most bankable actor in Hollywood? I'm too lazy to click on the link. I know at one time, him and Cameron Diaz were the top 2 spots on the most bankable list.

[Hey Man]

Most of the people on that list of least bankable actors are generally the main draw towards their respective movies. I'm still not sure what point you are trying to make. It's basically a list of actors who are paid too much. At the same time, you can look at previous years and they were on the most bankable actor lists. They are actors who are generally a main draw toward their respective movies. Nothing you have said has exactly explained why you think Diaz should be on list other than you don't like her or Meg Ryan. That's just great, but the way you are responding to my posts makes me feel like we're just moments away from you singing "Daisy Daisy" only more random and incongruent.

'Tis be cool though. Is Adam Sandler still the most bankable actor in Hollywood? I'm too lazy to click on the link. I know at one time, him and Cameron Diaz were the top 2 spots on the most bankable list.

I think you are over analyzing it.

1. Studios pay Cameron Diaz a lot of money to be in their movies as the main star.

2. Last 4 movies bombed along with The Box being called one of the worst movies of all time. That's the reason.

3. Studios needs to stop paying Cameron Diaz a lot of money and have someone else be the main star.

I know the sarcastic (and entertaining) role you like to play on here, but sometimes you read into things too much.

[Buck Turgidson]

I would normally write something about how I would like to see Diaz's rating when she gets older and uglier, but she's looked like a badger's ass for a decade and more now and has continued to pollute studio films with her presence, so...who knows?

Just for the record, I like Meg Ryan.

A lot.

[Hey Man]

I would normally write something about how I would like to see Diaz's rating when she gets older and uglier, but she's looked like a badger's ass for a decade and more now and has continued to pollute studio films with her presence, so...who knows?

Just for the record, I like Meg Ryan.

A lot.

Me too actually, but people assume....

[BakeTheMooCow]

That's funny - her last 4 movies tanked. I mean fucking tanked. THOSE numbers don't lie.

Once again, those pesky facts get in your way.

Here's a chart of her movies' box office:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=camerondiaz.htm

The last 4 movies are:

"My Sister's Keeper" - $78 million on a $30 million budget
"What Happens In Vegas" - $219 million on a $35 million budget
"Shrek the Third" - $798 million on a $160 million budget
"The Holiday" - $205 million on an $85 million budget

Also, who is calling "The Box" one of the worst movies of all time? Is it the imaginary film critic who writes for The Chronicle of Narnia?

[Hey Man]

Once again, those pesky facts get in your way.

Here's a chart of her movies' box office:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=camerondiaz.htm

The last 4 movies are:

"My Sister's Keeper" - $78 million on a $30 million budget
"What Happens In Vegas" - $219 million on a $35 million budget
"Shrek the Third" - $798 million on a $160 million budget
"The Holiday" - $205 million on an $85 million budget

Also, who is calling "The Box" one of the worst movies of all time? Is it the imaginary film critic who writes for The Chronicle of Narnia?

Thanks for proving my point for me - she can't open a movie that isn't Shrek. You didn't include The Box.

From Cinemascore:

Cameron Diaz’s The Box has reportedly been named one of the worst films in history by movie fans.

CinemaScore, a company that compiles ratings for new releases, explained that an A means a picture is likely to be a big hit, while a C is pretty much a death sentence.

The Box, written and directed by Donnie Darko's Richard Kelly, was awarded an F.

"People really thought this was a stinker," the Sun quoted Ed Mintz from CinemaScore as telling the Los Angeles Times.

The only three movies he could recall scoring as many Fs were: The Bug, a 2006 Ashley Judd horror film; Wolf Creek, a 2005 backpackers-in-peril thriller; and Darkness, a 2002 haunted-house scarefest.

He put the negative reaction down to the film's controversial ending, asking: "Who'd want to pay 10 dollars (6 pounds) to see that? "I'd love to hear how they thought they were going to get good word-of-mouth."

In the movie, Diaz plays a cash-strapped mother who is promised that she will receive a million dollars if she presses the button on a mysterious box. When she does so, tragedies start happening - including her son going deaf and blind.

The Box bombed at the American box office and scored generally poor reviews from critics. However, the 37-year-old beauty defended her decision to make the movie.

"There is no much about humanity in the script and so much we are trying to understand about who we are as people," she said.

[BakeTheMooCow]

Thanks for proving my point for me - she can't open a movie that isn't Shrek. You didn't include The Box.


Eh?

I'm getting the sense that I'm wasting time arguing with you because I just showed that her last 4 movies have all done well and would all be considered financially successful. None of those "fucking tanked". Do you just alter reality to fit your preconceived notions? I didn't include "The Box" because numbers for it's international box office aren't in yet.

Fair point about Cinemascore, although I wouldn't consider that a barometer of the worst movies ever made. "Bug" and "Wolf Creek" are not bad company to be in.

[ilovemovies]

I wouldn't call Bug one of the worst movies of all time. Though I did LOATHE it!

But that's beside the point. The point is, Cameron Diaz is not on the list and she shouldn't be since not including The Box, her last 4 movies have done VERY well.

[Sgizzy316]

Leo couldn't be paid enough IMO

[Buck Turgidson]

I do so love it when Cammy D waxes philosophical.

[Imsomuchbetter]

Since when is Ice-Cube considered an actor, and not a rapper who also does movies??? :confused:

[The Postmaster General]

I think you are over analyzing it.

1. Studios pay Cameron Diaz a lot of money to be in their movies as the main star.

2. Last 4 movies bombed along with The Box being called one of the worst movies of all time. That's the reason.

3. Studios needs to stop paying Cameron Diaz a lot of money and have someone else be the main star.

I know the sarcastic (and entertaining) role you like to play on here, but sometimes you read into things too much.


How exactly am I the one overanalyzing here?

Me: It's basically a list of actors who are paid too much. At the same time, you can look at previous years and they were on the most bankable actor lists Read: It's just a list of overpaid actors that ebbs and flows based on recent performance. Some of those actors were previously on "most bankable" lists.

You: I know the sarcastic (and entertaining) role you like to play on here...

Then you go on to say exactly what I went on to say, that they are all actors who are the primary draws of their movies.

I also point out that at one point Adam Sandler and Cameron Diaz were listed by Forbes as the two most bankable actors, and go on to question the point of these lists. The only difference between what you said and what I said is that you are doing so leading off from saying that I'm missing the point and overanalyzing.

I know you like to argue every trivial thing, but when you are arguing against points you, yourself, have made, it's... Well, I guess we both consider the other to be equally entertaining, and despite me always seeking entertainment, I'm just not sure if here it's earnest. KnowwhutImean?

If you want to start a studio and pay Diaz less, knock yourself out, but I already all but flat-out said that I think all the people on these lists, bankable or not, are overpaid.

[The Postmaster General]

I was just telling someone about this and came to get the list, but in doing so found the Forbes list of most bankable stars.

Leo is number 3.

http://star-currency.forbes.com/celebrity-list/

So what's the story? Can someone tell me how Forbes put out a list of most overpaid, and have as No. 8, the guy who is 3rd on their most bankable list?

Can anyone explain this? Actually, the most bankable has a lost of the people on the most overpaid. (Carrey is no 19, Cruise in top 15...) What am I not understanding about this?

[Imsomuchbetter]

I was just telling someone about this and came to get the list, but in doing so found the Forbes list of most bankable stars.

Leo is number 3.

http://star-currency.forbes.com/celebrity-list/

So what's the story? Can someone tell me how Forbes put out a list of most overpaid, and have as No. 8, the guy who is 3rd on their most bankable list?

Can anyone explain this? Actually, the most bankable has a lost of the people on the most overpaid. (Carrey is no 19, Cruise in top 15...) What am I not understanding about this?

I stopped reading the entertainment part of forbes online after the first "Top 10 powerful babies" list. But as far as those two lists go, it`s possible that they give a "star" a minus for every bomb, and a plus for every hit, going back x amount of years. And the stars with the most minuses / pluses gets to be on two super accurate lists, the results of which of course do not effect the other. Meaning, that they only count the hits, or bombs, rather than both, for each list.

Or they just pull names out of a hat.

[BadCoverVersion]

Just for the record, I like Meg Ryan.

A lot.

I personally can't stick Ryan.

She comes across as extremely rude and surly in interviews (Parkinson, GMTV) and her new duck face puts me off my din dins.

She was a natural fresh-faced beauty in the 80's and then she went and had all sorts of shite injected in her face the moment she was pushing 40. I find that sort of vanity/stupidity absolutely depressing.

In The Cut was an abomination as well...honestly, I nearly cringed my socks off during that movie. Oh and then there was that time that she had a bit of 'Hows your Father' with Russel Crowe and left Dennis Quaid looking like a prize plum. That was a low point for America's sweetheart.

so frightening... (http://prettyboring.com/files/images/meg%20ryan%20wtf%20face.png)

...oh so frightening (...http://www.womenrepublic.co.uk/usw/5megryan77.jpg)

Cameron Diaz is a moon faced troll as well.

[EZM22]

You could make a case for every single actor/actress being overpaid.

I remember reading an interview with Benicio del Toro (I think) in which he said that the salaries performers get were ridiculously high in comparison to other hard working people like doctors, or firemen or what have you.

Not to undervalue an actor's work (I can't act for shit and I imagine it takes some skill) but he did have a point. Some of the salaries that actors/actresses demand are pretty ridiculous and honestly, do they really need all that money?

[Buck Turgidson]

I personally can't stick Ryan.

She comes across as extremely rude and surly in interviews (Parkinson, GMTV) and her new duck face puts me off my din dins.

She was a natural fresh-faced beauty in the 80's and then she went and had all sorts of shite injected in her face the moment she was pushing 40. I find that sort of vanity/stupidity absolutely depressing.All pretty much true. That's why film was invented: to remind us that people used to be hot when they aren't anymore.Cameron Diaz is a moon faced troll as well.Jack O' Lantern is my preferred metaphor.

[bigred760]

I think you are over analyzing it.

1. Studios pay Cameron Diaz a lot of money to be in their movies as the main star.

2. Last 4 movies bombed along with The Box being called one of the worst movies of all time. That's the reason.

3. Studios needs to stop paying Cameron Diaz a lot of money and have someone else be the main star.

I know the sarcastic (and entertaining) role you like to play on here, but sometimes you read into things too much.

Once again, those pesky facts get in your way.

Here's a chart of her movies' box office:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=camerondiaz.htm

The last 4 movies are:

"My Sister's Keeper" - $78 million on a $30 million budget
"What Happens In Vegas" - $219 million on a $35 million budget
"Shrek the Third" - $798 million on a $160 million budget
"The Holiday" - $205 million on an $85 million budget

Also, who is calling "The Box" one of the worst movies of all time? Is it the imaginary film critic who writes for The Chronicle of Narnia?


Granted, those are worldwide box office results.

Hell, 2 of Will Ferrell's last four movies made its budget back domestically alone (that would be Step Brothers and Blades of Glory - according to boxofficemojo.com). The point this list is trying to make is that Ferrell is getting paid too much money where the studios paying him aren't getting a fair return on their investment.

I don't know how much he made for his last four movies, but he made $20 million for Talladega Nights, Kicking & Screaming, and Bewitched . . . EACH (according to imdb.com)!! I'm thinking he made about the same for his last four movies.

Now Cameron Diaz earned $10 million for What Happens in Vegas, and $15 million for In Her Shoes. I think that's way too much for her . . . of course that's only my opinion. She doesn't carry a movie. Hell, she got paid $17.5 million for Gangs of New York. Way too much.