Brie Larson
Marvel Salary: $5 million
Brie Larson was a relatively late-addition into the Avengers group. Her film, Captain Marvel, released just two months before Endgame. As a newcomer to the MCU, Larson received $5 million in her first appearance as pilot-turned-hero Carol Danvers. Though it hasn’t been reported how much she made for her role in Endgame, one could guess it was in the same ballpark.
That being said, Larson is reportedly set for a huge payday for Captain Marvel 2. Rumors have been swirling that the sequel will make Larson one of the highest-paid actors in the entire Marvel Universe. Her reported salary is said to be at least $15 million.
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Samuel L. Jackson
Marvel Salary: $4-6 million
There are several actors who have played the role of Nick Fury previously, but none have done it with the presence or charisma of the great Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson has made the character his own, balancing the authoritative figure with deft precision. Jackson was already one of the world’s most famous and highest-paid actors before joining the MCU in 2008’s Iron Man.
As such, it’s not surprising to see Jackson has earned top dollar for his appearances thus far. Jackson has been in 11 Marvel movies, with a 12th (The Marvels) set to release in 2023. Reportedly, Jackson earns around $4-6 million every time he plays Fury — no matter how brief of an appearance or cameo he makes.
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Elizabeth Olsen
Marvel Salary: $2 million
The ‘other’ Olsen sister has made a name for herself in Hollywood. After appearing in projects alongside her famous twin sisters as a child, Olsen made her first film appearance in 2011’s Martha Macy May Marlene. Olsen garnered massive praise for her role in the thriller, and her career took off from there. She appeared in her first Marvel film (uncredited) during a post-credits scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Olsen returned the following year for Avengers: Age of Ultron as Wanda Maximoff — also known as, the Scarlet Witch. She has since become a mainstay in the MCU, appearing in six Marvel movies in total and even starring in her own show, Wandavision, on Disney Plus. For her most recent role as the primary antagonist in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Olsen received a $2 million payday.
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Sebastian Stan
Marvel Salary: $5 million
Romanian-born actor Sebastian Stan made his first film appearance at just 11 years old, but his career really began taking after landing a role on Law & Order in 2003. From there, Stan began landing bigger roles including parts in Hot Tub Time Machine and Black Swan. In 2011, Stan was pinned to play the role of Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers’ best friend, in Captain America: The First Avenger. Stan returned as the brainwashed titular character in the second film of the Captain America series, The Winter Soldier. For his role as Barnes/The Winter Soldier, Stan earned a cool $5 million.
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Benedict Cumberbatch
Marvel Salary: $7.5 million
Just like many of his co-stars, Benedict Cumberbatch has become synonymous with his character. At this point, it would be difficult to imagine any other actor playing the role of Doctor Strange. Cumberbatch first appeared in the MCU in 2016’s Doctor Strange and immediately became a fan favorite. Strange played a major role in both Infinity War and Endgame, and continues to be a pivotal part of the current Marvel timeline. He made a cameo appearance in the wildly popular Spiderman: No Way Home which led to his second standalone film, 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The film earned $954 million in the box office, and Cumberbatch received $7.5 million for his role.
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Anthony Mackie
Marvel Salary: $10 million
Anthony Mackie has made a nice career for himself. The actor’s first film credit was in 2002’s Eight Mile where he played the film’s main battle rap villain, Papa Doc. Mackie made his first Marvel appearance in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Sam Wilson, an Air Force veteran who befriends Steve Rogers and becomes the superhero named the Falcon.
At the conclusion of Endgame, Rogers hands his shield to Wilson, signifying there would be a new Captain America. After starring on his own show (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), it was announced that Mackie would be getting his own standalone Captain America film set to release in 2024. The movie is titled New World Order, and Mackie is set to make $10 million for donning the famed shield.
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Josh Brolin
Marvel Salary: $5-6 million
Don’t recognize Josh Brolin from any of the Marvel films? Well, that’s likely because he was covered in purple makeup and made to look like an 8-foot tall alien from the planet Titan. Brolin played Thanos, the main antagonist to the Avengers during the Infinity Saga. Thanos first appeared during an end credits scene in the first Avengers film in 2012.
The threatening figure spent the next several films in the series attempting to collect all of the Infinity Stones to restore “balance” to the universe. It all culminates in Endgame, where all of the Avengers face off against Thanos’ army of villains. For the ultimate film, Brolin was paid anywhere between $5-6 million for his part.
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Chris Pratt
Marvel Salary: $5 million
The estimation for Pratt’s Marvel salary is likely on the low-end. That’s because the $5 million price tag is in reference to Pratt’s role in Avengers: Infinity War where he plays a sizable, yet secondary, role. Pratt earns top billing in Guardians of the Galaxy where he likely earns a larger pay check. The 43-year-old Minnesota native plays the role of Star-Lord, the fearless leader of the lovable group of criminals-turned-heroes.
Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t the only series Pratt is the star of. As his career has taken off, Pratt has earned a bevy of large roles, including as one of the main stars of the Jurassic World series. Pratt was paid somewhere between $12-14 million for his role in the 2022 film Jurassic World Dominion.
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Paul Rudd
Marvel Salary: $8 million
A big salary for the smallest hero. Paul Rudd plays Scott Lang, an engineer-turned-criminal who is given a suit which can shrink him down to the size of an ant. While it sounds a bit goofy on paper, 2011’s Ant-Man was a major box office hit. That was thanks in large part to Rudd’s comedic timing in addition to his ability to play a sympathetic character.
Rudd received $300,000 in his first go-around as Ant-Man, though earned a whole lot more than that after the movie broke $500 million at the box office. He reportedly received an $8 million check for his role in Endgame.
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Vin Diesel
Marvel Salary: $13 million
The Fast & Furious star voiced one of the most beloved characters in the MCU, and got paid a hefty amount to do so. Diesel did voiceover work for Groot, a tree-like creature who is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Reportedly, Diesel received a whopping $52 million for his work as Groot over four films (these findings were reported before Groot’s appearance in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder). That’s a whole lot of money to do voiceover work for a character whose primary dialogue consists of repeating his name.
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Tom Holland
Marvel Salary: $5 million
The third live-action Spider-Man to hit the big screen, Holland is likely the highest-paid among his web-swinging peers. In his most recent appearance as Spidey, Holland took home $5 million upfront for No Way Home. In the film, Holland actually starred alongside the other two actors who formerly donned the Spider-Man suit, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The conclusion of No Way Home signaled a potential new trilogy of films led by Holland. With the Spider-Man craze likely never dying down, it would be a wise business decision for Holland to carry on the role.
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Zendaya
Marvel Salary: $2 million
Is there anybody more in-demand than Zendaya right now? The 25-year-old has completely dominated the last few years, whether it’s on the big screen or on streaming services. Zendaya has gained massive notoriety for her role as Rue Bennett on the hit HBO series Euphoria. In 2020, she won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
For an encore in 2021, Zendaya starred in three of the biggest films of the year — Space Jam: A New Legacy (voice of Lola Bunny), Dune, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Though her character was left with an inconclusive ending at the conclusion of No Way Home, we wouldn’t be surprised if she made a return once the next Spider-Man film hits theaters.
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Natalie Portman
Marvel Salary: $1 million
You may be shocked to hear Natalie Portman’s salary for her role in Marvel’s most recent picture. Though billed as one of the top stars in Thor: Love and Thunder, Portman reportedly received just $1 million for her work. That comes in contrast to first-time Marvel actor Christian Bale who received $10 million for his role as Gorr the God Butcher in the recent Thor film. Portman had previously voiced her distaste of the Marvel franchise. Perhaps it was due to issues with her pay? $1 million for Portman makes her one of the lowest-paid stars in the entire MCU.
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Christian Bale
Marvel Salary: $10 million
After playing the caped-crusader Batman for three films in the DC Universe, famed English-actor Christian Bale finally crossed over into Marvel in 2022. Bale appeared in Thor: Love and Thunder as the film’s main antagonist, Gorr the God Butcher. Bale was barely recognizable in the makeup, though he drew massive praise for his grounded portrayal of the frightening villain. If Bale’s salary figures for his role are accurate, a $10 million payday is among the highest-ever for a first-time entrant into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Given his track record as an actor, we’d say that was money well spent.
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Chris Hemsworth
Marvel Salary: $20 million
Chris Hemsworth was the big earner for Thor: Love and Thunder. Reports indicate the original Thor took in a sizable $20 million for his role in the 2022 flick. He’s come along way since joining the MCU. For the first Thor film, Hemsworth was allegedly paid just $150,000. Hemsworth has really come into his own while playing the hammer-wielding Asgardian. His comedic side truly shined in Love and Thunder and Endgame.
He’s become a staple within the Marvel films, and it’s difficult to imagine an MCU without Hemsworth. As opposed to some of his other Marvel peers, it seems like Hemsworth is going to stick around for a bit longer. And, why not with these sorts of paychecks?
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Tessa Thompson
Marvel Salary: $2 million
Yet another member of the Love and Thunder group, Tessa Thompson played the role of Valkyrie — the appointed leader of New Asgard. Thompson’s Valkyrie first appeared in the critically-acclaimed Thor: Ragnarok and quickly became a fan favorite. It’s not difficult to see why. Thompson crushes every role that comes her way. Whether it’s a drama like Creed, a comedy like Sorry to Bother You, or a sci-fi horror like Annihilation. Though $2 million is nothing to scoff at, it’s a bit curious to see Thompson and Portman combine for just one-tenth of the salary afforded to their male co-stars Christian Bale ($10 million) and Chris Hemsworth ($20 million).
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Idris Elba
Marvel Salary: $1 million
Idris Elba has had an interesting relationship with the MCU. After starring as the stoic Heimdall for the first two Thor films, Elba made it known he did not enjoy filming either movie. However, following the release of the critically-acclaimed Ragnarok, Elba began singing a different tune. Elba was effusive of his praise for director Taika Waititi. He even claimed that he wished Heimdall had a bigger role in the films.
Perhaps Elba was sick of the monotony of the early Thor movies, and appreciated Waititi’s out-of-the-box approach for Ragnarok. After all, Heimdall isn’t even the first Marvel hero Elba has portrayed. He starred alongside Nicolas Cage in 2011’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
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Scarlett Johansson
Marvel Salary: $20 million
Though her character may have seen her end, Scarlett Johansson made the most out of portraying Natasha Romanoff — also known as, the Black Widow. Johansson made her MCU debut in Iron Man 2, and returned as one of the key members of the first Avengers film.
Since then, Johansson has either starred or been mentioned in 13 Marvel films as the popular spy. Her first appearance in Iron Man 2 netted her a modest $400,000. That number was boosted up to $15 million in both Infinity War and Endgame. Finally getting her own standalone movie, Johansson earned a whopping $20 million for starring in 2021’s Black Widow.
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Jeremy Renner
Marvel Salary: $15 million
This is going to be a tough one to wrap your head around. Jeremy Renner is actually the highest-paid Marvel actor…per second. Yes, one of the most unlikely characters is indeed more handsomely paid for his screen-time than his co-stars including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson. That’s because Renner’s Hawkeye has just 50 total minutes of screen-time throughout the five official Avengers films.
For less than an hour of appearances, Renner is paid about $9,000 per second. Hawkeye didn’t even appear in Infinity War, and mostly played a secondary role in Endgame to Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the rest of the crew. Renner took home $15 million just for Endgame, and reportedly has earned around $50 million for his portrayal of Hawkeye in total.
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Ryan Reynolds
Marvel Salary: $20 million
Another high-profile actor who has done work for both Marvel and DC, Ryan Reynolds previously appeared as Hal Jordan — also known as, the Green Lantern — in the 2011 colossal flop Green Lantern. Though, some might not realize Reynolds played another superhero far before Green Lantern or the wildly popular Deadpool. Reynolds starred as the Hannibal King in 2004’s Blade: Trinity — a Marvel production — alongside Wesley Snipes. He seems to have found a niche playing the loud-mouth, anti-hero Deadpool, and has earned a nice payday for doing so.
Reynolds received $2 million for the first Deadpool movie. Though, he likely earned much more than that after the film (which took $58 million to make) raked in over $780 million in the box office. For the upcoming Deadpool 3, Reynolds is said to earn an up-front salary of $20 million.
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Robert Downey Jr.
Marvel Salary: $20 million
Robert Downey Jr. started it all back in 2008. The release of Iron Man marked the first entry in the MCU, and helped pave the way for a $26 billion franchise. And, it was never a sure thing that Iron Man would succeed. Unlike Batman or Spider-Man, Iron Man wasn’t exactly a household name in 2008. Downey Jr. took the role as his own, and created one of the most beloved film characters in recent memory.
RDJ received an upfront salary of $20 million for Endgame, though it has been reported he raked in over $75 million following the box office results. It’s rumored that RDJ accrued over $340 million total from his Marvel appearances over the years. If he were to ever return…about 10 more years of playing Iron Man and Downey Jr. might actually be as rich as Tony Stark.
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Mark Ruffalo
Marvel Salary: $15 million
Scouring for a new Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios settled on Mark Ruffalo to play the scientist with an anger issue. This came after Edward Norton had already played the hulking hero in 2008’s Incredible Hulk — which is still technically part of the MCU timeline. Ruffalo made his first appearance as Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk in 2011’s Avengers and was paid $3 million for his role.
Fast forward to Endgame and Ruffalo reportedly earned around $15 million for playing an almost entirely CGI-centric Hulk. Though he never received a standalone film, Ruffalo has reprised his iconic role in the Disney Plus series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
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Tom Hiddleston
Marvel Salary: $8 million
Everybody’s favorite trickster, the UK’s Tom Hiddleston is so good at portraying Loki that you can’t help but cheer for the evildoer. Hiddleston truly shined when given the platform of his own series, aptly titled Loki, which lasted six episodes and is one of Marvel’s most beloved shows to date. Loki first appeared in the MCU in the first Thor film, and later returned as the primary villain in the Avengers.
Since his plot to take over the world went awry, Loki settled into more of an anti-hero role. He has teamed up with his brother Thor and the rest of the Avengers in the past, though he always seems to have a few tricks up his sleeve. Hiddleston made just $160,000 in his first Loki appearance, and that number increased 50-fold to $8 million for Infinity War.
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Chris Evans
Marvel Salary: $15 million
Chris Evans donned the famed shield of Captain America for 11 movies. Initially, Evans turned down the role on several occasions. He said that he felt uncomfortable playing the role of such an iconic hero, though eventually warmed up to the idea. His bank account has certainly reaped the rewards of Evans’ decision. Evans earned a base salary of $300,000 for the first Captain America movie. His pay rose exponentially as the Marvel films grew in popularity. For both Infinity War and Endgame, Evans received $15 million — the same rumored amount as many of his co-stars.
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Angelina Jolie
Marvel Salary: $35.5 million
You read that number correctly. Angelina Jolie made a whopping $35.5 million for her role in Marvel’s Eternals which released in 2021. Jolie played the role of Thena, one of ten Eternals on a cast which also included Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, and Kumail Nanjiani. Jolie’s salary for the film alone made her the second-highest paid actress in 2021 behind just Sofia Vergara.
Though Jolie has earned a bit more than several of her cast members, she isn’t considered the wealthiest of the star-studded group. That distinction reportedly still belongs to Salma Hayek, who has a net worth of over $200 million. Jolie is reportedly worth $150 million.
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