The year 1989 got blessed with Tim Burton’s Batman, one of the most influential superhero flicks of all time which was nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece. Even after three decades, the movie has been forged as a beloved cult classic in the hearts of fans.
Glowing reviews and critical acclamation, however, weren’t all that the film landed, it also brought home immense commercial success. And while that was a colossal financial win for Warner Bros., it was perhaps even a bigger accomplishment for Jack Nicholson who made a fortune thanks to Batman. Ironically enough, even the Caped Crusader himself didn’t earn as much as Joker did.
It looks like being the bad guy pays off after all.
Jack Nicholson Made A Killing With Batman (1989)
Tim Burton’s Batman is the paragon of superhero movies; the film’s marvelous victory would not only come to determine the future of the Batman intellectual property but it would soon end up shaping the very bone marrow of pop culture phenomena.
Set against a budget of merely $48 million, the movie went on to gross over $400 million at the global box office, bringing in a deluge of money for WB as well as its star cast. But perhaps the one actor who profited the most from Batman‘s stellar success is Jack Nicholson.
Nicholson, 86, who starred opposite Michael Keaton‘s Batman as the malicious Joker, hit the jackpot with Burton’s venture. Incidentally, the Hollywood icon had initially been reluctant about taking over the role but was soon convinced of it thanks to the legacy tied to the character along with the prospect of earning a good sum. Like the leading man, Nicholson too had been promised a fixed salary of $6 million. But The Shining star saw the potential in the film; he could practically smell the enthralling scent of the wave of success that was about to hit them.
So, counting on the movie’s bright future, Nicholson cut an unprecedented deal with the studio, negotiating an undisclosed percentage of Batman‘s box office gross along with its home video sales, TV rights, and even merchandise profits. And that’s not even the best part.
How Jack Nicholson Made About $164K Per Word in Batman
Sure, Nicholson agreed to work for $6 million, but he ended up walking away with an enormous figure of roughly $90 million by the time they were done celebrating Batman‘s success. Not to mention, The Departed star made a staggering amount of money for each word he spoke in the Oscar-winning film.
Despite having spoken only 585 words in the entirety of Batman, Nicholson received a big fat payday of anywhere between $164-166k per word. The man said “Hello, Vinny. It’s Your Uncle Bingo. Time To Pay The Check!” and took the last part too seriously.
Meanwhile, Keaton amassed only $6 million, and while it could be considered an impressive amount for that time, it obviously pales in comparison to what Nicholson made.
Batman is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and can be bought/rented on Apple TV.
Source: Startefacts
