Margot Robbie Earns Shocking Amount For Barbie
Released in theaters on July 19, Barbie has rapidly climbed to secure the position of the second-highest-grossing film of 2023, amassing an impressive global box office haul of $1.23 billion. Given this staggering accomplishment, the reported $50 million fee that Margot Robbie received for her role appears notably modest, especially given her dual role as both a star and producer of the film.
Margot Robbie made only $50 million for Barbie, according to early reports, but now there’s information the star has a share of the profits, which could be $100 million.
Nevertheless, on a recent episode of his podcast The Town, Matthew Belloni shared insights suggesting that Robbie’s true earnings substantially exceed the initially disclosed $50 million figure.
In the podcast episode titled “How Much Money Does a Hit Movie Really Make (and a Flop Lose)?” Matthew Belloni and guest John Mass explored the reduced equity that creators of successful films receive as studios increasingly favor upfront payments over a share in box office earnings.
As part of this discussion, Margot Robbie’s compensation surfaced, with Mass mentioning her $50 million earnings for Barbie. Belloni responded, deeming the mentioned amount “ridiculously low,” and alluded to inside knowledge, indicating Robbie’s compensation far surpassed that figure.
The reported $50 million earnings attributed to Margot Robbie for her involvement in Barbie, referenced in the discussion between Belloni and Mass, originated from a Variety report. However, Belloni implied that Robbie was fortunate enough to participate in the movie’s profits.
With $1.2 billion at the box office, Barbie is the most successful movie of Margot Robbie’s career.
While the precise extent of Robbie’s earnings for the film remains undisclosed, it is understood that her starting base salary was $12.5 million, a figure that has substantially risen in tandem with the film’s substantial box office success.
Tom Cruise also stands as a rare example of an actor benefiting from a share in a film’s profits. Despite receiving a modest upfront payment of $13 million for Top Gun: Maverick, he ultimately earned approximately $100 million due to the movie’s remarkable $1.5 billion global earnings. Considering Barbie‘s worldwide box office performance is nearing that figure, it’s plausible that Margot Robbie could potentially secure a similar windfall of around $100 million.
Stars receiving part of the profits for their films have become more common, with Margot Robbie joining the likes of Tom Cruise and Scarlett Johansson.
Since its debut, Barbie has exerted absolute dominance at the box office. The film amassed a staggering $155 million domestically in its opening weekend, effortlessly clinching the year’s top spot for the highest opening earnings. Remarkably, this film also is the highest-grossing of Margot Robbie’s career by a significant margin.
In the film, Barbie (Margot Robbie), the most celebrated inhabitant of Barbie Land, encounters an existential crisis that prompts her journey to the human realm, seeking self-discovery and a genuine sense of purpose.
Joining her on this quest is Ken (Ryan Gosling), her somewhat romantic interest, whose own existence hinges on Barbie’s acknowledgment. Amid the pursuit of enlightenment, both characters confront challenging realities and forge new connections, fostering personal growth along the way.
Under the direction of Greta Gerwig, Barbie was brought to life with a script co-written by her and Noah Baumbach. In addition to Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film stars Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Sharon Rooney, Dua Lipa, John Cena, Scott Evans, and Will Ferrell.
As the movie continues its run in theaters across the nation, audiences still have the chance to contribute to Margot Robbie’s substantial earnings from the film.
