by Ryan Reynolds has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most bankable leading men over the past decade and a half. Known for his sharp comedic timing and action skills, Reynolds consistently stars in big budget blockbusters that earn hundreds of millions at the global box office. However, determining the exact figures for his highest-paid roles can be tricky due to the private nature of actor contracts. In this article, we’ll examine Reynolds’s likely top two earners based on available reports and estimates of his salaries.
6 Underground (2019) – $27 Million Payday
One of Ryan Reynolds’s reported highest single paydays came for the 2019 action film 6 Underground, directed by Michael Bay for Netflix. Various industry sources pegged Reynolds’s salary for the film at a whopping $27 million. While Netflix does not publicly disclose actor salaries, this number has been widely circulated as Reynolds’s fee to star in the film.
There are a few key factors that likely contributed to Reynolds commanding such an astronomical salary for 6 Underground. First, it was a major action vehicle produced by Netflix with a budget estimated between $150-200 million. This positioned it as one of the streaming service’s most expensive and highest profile original films at the time. Reynolds was playing the lead role and one of the main draws for audiences.
As one of the biggest action movie stars of his generation, Reynolds’s star power was a major selling point for Netflix to attract viewers. His track record of hits like Deadpool, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and Hobbs & Shaw established him as a safe bet to anchor an effects-driven blockbuster. This kind of marquee starring role in a tentpole film for a major studio often results in top dollar compensation.
Additionally, 6 Underground represented Reynolds’s first major foray into streaming films after achieving huge success with R-rated comic book movies that were perfect for theaters but riskier on streaming. Netflix was eager to work with Reynolds to make an event film for their service. All of these factors likely enabled Reynolds’s team to negotiate the reported $27 million salary, one of the highest sums ever paid to an actor for a single film role.
While 6 Underground received mixed reviews, it was viewed by 83 million households in its first four weeks, according to Netflix. This viewership helped validate Reynolds’s star power and Netflix’s major investment in him. For his part, Reynolds delivered the kind of charismatic leading man performance suited for a high-octane action flick. So as one of his first major Netflix films, 6 Underground stands as Reynolds’s most lucrative single payday as an actor based on available compensation estimates.
Red Notice (2021) – Around $20 Million Payday
Ryan Reynolds scored another of his likely highest salaries for the 2021 Netflix action-comedy blockbuster Red Notice. While specific payment details have not been released, reports put both Reynolds and co-star Dwayne Johnson in the $20 million range for their roles in the film.
Red Notice brought Reynolds back together with Johnson, his co-lead from the massively successful 2019 action romp Hobbs & Shaw, which earned over $760 million worldwide. Their potent on-screen chemistry and ability to anchor big budget spectacles was again a major selling point for Netflix.
Much like 6 Underground before it, Red Notice carried a massive budget estimated at $200 million, making it one of the most expensive films ever made. It was positioned by Netflix as one of their tentpole event films for 2021, meant to drive massive viewership in its first few months. With Reynolds and Johnson both playing central roles, it’s easy to see why Netflix would have paid top dollar to secure them.
As one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Dwayne Johnson’s salary demands are always among the highest in Hollywood. For him to agree to do another film with Reynolds as co-lead, Netflix likely had to meet Johnson’s $20 million asking price. To keep the deal together and ensure on-screen parity between the two leads, it’s been reported Reynolds received around the same $20 million salary.
This payday, while not definitively confirmed, cemented Red Notice as one of Reynolds’s highest earnings as an actor. His immense box office track record and ability to open huge streaming films alongside Johnson no doubt contributed to his salary negotiations. With over 320 million views in its first 28 days on Netflix, Red Notice also proved to be a massive success that validated these actors’ compensation.
Potential for Back-End Points on Major Franchise Films
While 6 Underground and Red Notice represent Ryan Reynolds’s ostensible highest single salaries, it’s important to note he likely earns even more from some films through back-end deals. On major franchise blockbusters where he’s taken an active producing role like Deadpool and its sequel, Reynolds has undoubtedly negotiated a percentage of profits.
Deadpool became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time with over $780 million worldwide on a $58 million budget. Its 2018 sequel Deadpool 2 also earned $785 million globally on a $110 million budget. As the driving creative force behind resurrecting the Deadpool character and maintaining creative control on these films, Reynolds was in a unique position of leverage to demand a cut of profits and gross receipts.
Industry experts estimate Reynolds likely received around 10% of profits from the Deadpool movies. With the films earning massive returns, this could equate to tens of millions more on top of his upfront salaries, which were also likely in the $20 million range. The lucrative nature of these profit-sharing deals is a big reason many top stars push for producer credits and ownership stakes.
Other past Reynolds blockbusters like The Proposal, Green Lantern, The Hitman’s Bodyguard series and more may have included similar back-end arrangements. While the specifics remain private, these kinds of profit-sharing agreements have undoubtedly boosted Reynolds’s career earnings far beyond any single salary. They position him as one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood when all compensation is taken into account.
Conclusion: Reynolds Thrives in Streaming and Franchise Films
Through projects like 6 Underground, Red Notice, and the Deadpool films, Ryan Reynolds has clearly found huge financial success partnering with major streaming services and anchoring big franchise properties. As one of the most in-demand movie stars working today, he’s able to command salaries well into the tens of millions just for his upfront acting fees.
When factoring in the potential of back-end deals that net him a percentage of profits, Reynolds’s career earnings are likely multiples higher than any reported single salary. By taking active roles behind the camera as well as in front of it, he’s positioned himself extremely well financially. Reynolds shows no signs of slowing down either, with several more major streaming and franchise films on the docket that are sure to add many more millions to his wealth. Going forward, the streaming world and ongoing series/franchises seem poised to be very lucrative arenas for one of Hollywood’s hardest working stars.
