The Matrix star Keanu Reeves earned 'more money' than any other movie franchise actor ever

Virgin Radio

10 Mar 2023, 19:05

Keanu Reeves is the nicest guy in showbiz — he's also said to be the actor who has earned more money than any other star in a single movie franchise. As the lead in the most successful sci-fi film ever, The Matrix is thought to have raked in $467.2 million (£388m) at the box office.

The actor, otherwise known as Thomas A. Anderson (aka Neo) in all four Matrix movies, is thought to have pipped fellow Hollywood stars including Mission Impossible's Tom Cruise and The Avengers' Robert Downey Jr. to be crowned the biggest earner of franchises.

The sci-fi Wachowski-directed blockbusters pulled in an impressive $171.4 million (£142m) domestic and $466.6 million (£387m) worldwide from a $63 million (£52m) budget. 

According to LadBible, The Matrix Resurrections actor is on a 'non-definitive list of stars who have received $30 million (£24m) or more as compensation for their services in a single production' and racked in a heart-stopping $156,000,000 (£129,000,000) from the franchise.

Coming in at second place on the franchise list are Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise and Will Smith, who all reportedly bagged $100,000,000 (£83,000,000) from their own ventures.

A report from Variety in 2021 claimed the acting icon earned between $12 (£9m)and $14 million (£11m) as a base salary for The Matrix Resurrections and a $10 million (£8m) base salary for 1999's The Matrix, as well as 'back-end payment' deals thought to be worth $25 million (£20m).

His salary for The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions is thought to be over $120 million (£99m) in bonuses from both sequels.

The generous actor has also 'given quite a lot of money away to good causes' throughout his career including 'reducing his salaries on The Devil's Advocate and The Replacements by millions of dollars' so they could afford co-stars Al Pacino and Gene Hackman respectively.

The John Wick star also 'gave back to some unsung heroes' of the original Matrix movie and is thought to have 'signed over his profit-sharing points to the special effects and costume design teams' as 'they were the ones who made the movie and that they should participate'.

Here's more on the role Keanu's 'always' wanted to play.