$50million for ONE film
...what Emma could earn from Cruella II in revolutionary deal
OSCAR winner Emma Stone could become the highest-paid actress in Hollywood thanks to a groundbreaking new deal.
The 32-year-old has announced a sequel to her hit movie Cruella, which will give her a ‘substantial’ cut of the profits when it airs on the streaming channel Disney+. Insiders say she could earn up to $50 million – £36million – if it is a hit.
Hollywood A-listers often receive a salary plus a cut of global box office takings.
But when the pandemic wreaked havoc with cinema releases, many movies went straight to streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+, which pay only modest ‘residuals’ to actors.
Stone’s agent Patrick Whitesell claimed the deal for Cruella II protects performers, saying: ‘While the media landscape has been disrupted in a meaningful way for all distributors, their creative partners cannot be left on the sidelines to carry a disproportionate amount of the downside.
‘This agreement demonstrates there can be an equitable path forward that protects artists and aligns studios’ interests with talent.
‘We are hopeful this will open the door for more members of the creative community to participate in the success of new platforms.’
The deal comes after Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson filed a $50million lawsuit against Disney, saying she had been promised the Marvel blockbuster would be released exclusively in cinemas. Instead, Disney, which owns Marvel, released it on Disney+ the same day as it hit the big screen.
Johansson, who was paid $20million for the film, claimed her salary could have been boosted up to $50million because her deal was based on taking a box-office cut.
Before the pandemic, Johansson had been the highest-paid actress in the world, but according to Forbes magazine this year it is TV star Sofia Vergara with $43 million.
Last night, a Disney source said the deal could make Stone the world’s highest-paid actress: ‘This is a groundbreaking deal for Emma.
‘Actors have been grumbling that they are losing millions in potential earning revenue because people are choosing to watch movies at home on streaming services instead of going to the cinema.
‘Who knows if people will ever go back to cinemas? Covid has changed the way the world watches movies.
‘The word is Emma has negotiated a substantial payment every time Cruella II plays on Disney+. She could easily earn $50 million or more if it is a hit.’
She won the Best Actress Oscar for the 2017 film
La La Land.