The financial details behind James Gunn’s “Superman” reboot show how the DCU is taking a strategic approach to building its new cinematic universe from the ground up.
A new report from Matthew Belloni of Puck News has unveiled the pay scale for the newly released “Superman” film, revealing that lead actor David Corenswet and co-star Rachel Brosnahan each received $750,000 for their roles as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, respectively. Meanwhile, Nicholas Hoult commanded a significantly higher $2 million paycheck for his portrayal of villain Lex Luthor, reflecting his established status in Hollywood following major roles in franchises like “X-Men” and recent hits including “Nosferatu.”
The salary structure reflects DC Studios’ calculated approach to launching their new cinematic universe. Rather than investing enormous sums in A-list talent, the studio has prioritized finding rising stars who can grow with the franchise over multiple films. All three lead actors have reportedly negotiated performance bonuses tied to the film’s box office success, creating potential for substantial additional earnings if Superman resonates with audiences worldwide.
Belloni noted in his newsletter that director Gunn has demonstrated “a knack for finding people who become huge stars,” emphasizing the strategic nature of this casting approach. This approach matches Gunn’s track record of finding actors who later become major Hollywood stars.
Interestingly, Corenswet’s $750,000 salary actually exceeds what Henry Cavill earned for his debut as Superman in 2013’s “Man of Steel,” where Cavill reportedly received approximately $300,000 plus potential backend bonuses, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Learning from Marvel’s Blueprint
The compensation strategy mirrors the successful approach taken by Marvel Studios during the early phases of the MCU. Robert Downey Jr. famously earned just $500,000 for his starring role in the original “Iron Man” film, while supporting actor Terrence Howard received $4.5 million for playing James Rhodes. This investment strategy allowed Marvel to allocate resources toward production values while securing talent that would later become invaluable to the franchise.
The MCU’s approach proved insightful, as actors like Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt transformed from relative unknowns into Hollywood’s highest-paid stars through their superhero roles. Hemsworth notably started his Marvel journey with only $150,000 for the first Thor film, while Tom Holland earned approximately $500,000 for “Spider-Man: Homecoming” at age 21.
Florence Pugh’s compensation for “Black Widow”, ranging between $500,000 and $700,000, provides additional context for current superhero salary standards, demonstrating that Corenswet and Brosnahan’s earnings align with industry norms for emerging franchise stars.
Box Office Success Could Transform Careers
Early indicators suggest “Superman’s” financial strategy may pay handsomely for all involved parties. The film’s Thursday night previews generated over $21 million, establishing the best preview performance for any James Gunn-directed film and the strongest preview numbers for any 2025 release, according to Deadline.
Industry projections anticipate that “Superman” could achieve an opening weekend reaching $175 million, potentially challenging “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” for the largest DC film debut in history. That performance would rival successful MCU entries like “Iron Man 3” and “Captain America: Civil War,” both of which ultimately exceeded $1 billion globally.
If Superman hits these big numbers, the bonus deals that Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult signed could greatly increase their original paychecks. The film’s reported $225 million budget shows DC Studios made a huge investment in starting this new movie series.
The casting approach represents a departure from Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel,” which featured established stars with twelve combined Oscar nominations among supporting players, including Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, and Russell Crowe. This earlier approach meant higher starting salaries but may have made it harder to build the franchise over time.
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