Posted on 05/03/2006 6:36:30 PM PDT by Flavius
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Poor Jim Carrey. His movies have raked in nearly $2 billion at box offices, but now a leading entertainment magazine says the comedian's asking price of $25 million a film has become "a bit of a gamble." ADVERTISEMENT
In its issue out this week, Entertainment Weekly rates top stars on whether they are worth the money.
Among those whose asking prices have become too high are Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy, the magazine said.
It added that after years of ever-rising star salaries, the prices for top talent are now coming down because the cost of making movies is going up, among other issues. "It's long overdue," former Twentieth Century Fox Chairman Bill Mechanic told the magazine.
Entertainment Weekly quoted several studio executives as saying the rising cost of production has led many stars to take large parts of their fees from revenue and profit participation that may never materialize if films flop at box offices.
Carrey, star of hits like "Bruce Almighty," had been a big beneficiary of the 1990s' salary run-up during which he saw his paycheck hit the $25 million mark.
However, his recent big-budget movies like "Fun with Dick and Jane" barely topped $100 million in domestic ticket sales, leaving his star tarnished, the magazine said.
Carrey's not the only one. Kidman is considered a risky bet after the box office failure of "Bewitched" and "The Stepford Wives" among other recent films.
Will Ferrell's $20 million also made the list of risky bets given recent box office disappointments and Eddie Murphy's $20 million was considered downright "too pricey."
But Tom Hanks' $25 million was thought to be "worth every penny" because he remains "one of the most bankable brand names in the world." Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, at $5 million to $7 million a picture, and Rachel McAdams at $3 million to $4 million, were bargains.
To all Keep up the good work
Poor babies, might have to cut down on those humanitarian trips to Darfur and Baghdad!
Boo-hoo! ;-p
Did see Carrey in "Fun with Dick and Jane", and loved it, though.
We'll have to drive that 2006 Benz another year Angelina, baby!
Or not.
My guess is they'll become even more ridiculous.
Carrey's shtick (everything he does is a variation of Ace Ventura) is getting old.
Ben Stiller's shtick was old by the time he did Meet The Parents I. He will probably burn in eternety for MTP II.
The first one was very crude with unlikeable characters so I have been reluctant to see this remake.
Don't forget Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart:
Kate, tell Pedro we won't need the lawn trimmed this week. We'll have to start economizing, dear.
I always thought he was an updated version of Jerry Lewis.
With the exception of Rachel McAdams, there isn't one of these "stars" I'd walk across the street to see for free. Including Tom Hanks. A staler, more threadbare crew of hacks hasn't hit Hollywood in decades.
That's what I'm talking about. Those three guys could kick a lot of Brokeback Mountain ass. Back when men were men and women were women. And there wasn't any doubts about which was which. About all we have now is Mel Gibson and Bruce Willis.
Still a Colonel in that picture.
Start looking for sales on Rodeo Drive, folks. The deals are coming your way.
He was really funny when he was with SNL a bazillion years ago. But his movie acting was pretty much channeling Lewis -- good catch.
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I sure wish the studios would get cracking and release more of the old classics on DVD. I'd love to see Jimmy Stewart and Harry Morgan in the cockpit of a B-36 in a digitally restored version of "Strategic Air Command".
I don't even have a clue who Rachel is! None of them are worth my time as far as I'm concerned. They all look alike to me!
After Stewart's death in 1997, Air Power History published a memoriam that included this little-known item: "In 1966, during his annual two weeks of active duty, Stewart requested a combat assignment and participated in a bombing strike over Vietnam. Stewart's stepson, 1st Lt. Ronald McLean, was killed at age 24 in the Vietnam War.
Carey actually did a good job in "The Eternal Sunshine". Everything else he's done sucks.
thast to bad he was a good actor
I found it to be hilarious, but then I like the more slapstick and goofy films. I went with a group of girlfriends, and we all liked the movie. There is one scene when he and his wife are costumed when they rob a bank that is ROFL funny, IMO!
I know I saw the original but I don't remember too much about it.
Compared to Eddy Murphy, I am a bargin at a mere $1 million. And BTW, I am currently available.
Hell they ought to take some of that money and give it to the girls in the porn industry. It is amazing what those girls are doing now on film, it would make "The Devil in Miss Jones" look like an R movie.
I looked him up on IMDB and stopped when I saw SNL.
I should have remembered "Firemarshall Bill" from In Living Color.
That also was a very funny show in the first 2 or 3 years. Then it started to get too Low Street for my likes.
Hey, these Hollywood execs have to put gasoline in their chaffeured-drvien Bentleys just like the rest of us. I can't afford to give Carrey $25 million, and neither can they.
Brokeback Mountain, Syriana, Good Night, Good Luck. To pay a star 20 million for these types of movies isn't worth it to the studios.
Then there are taxes, and other expenses, and that $20M doesn't look like much....(sound of violins)
Doesn't look like stars in general are having their salaries go down, just stars whose last few movies flopped and therefore they might not be stars anymore. That's a non-story, every minute in Hollywood there's a list of people whose prices are going up and another list whose prices are going down.
I know wishing that United 93 creams MI3 this weekend is a pipe dream, but a girl can pipe dream, can't she? (As long as she doesn't have to drive anywhere for awhile...)
;-)
Oooooh, 48HRS is on...
"Tell me a bedtime story, Jack."
"F--- you!"
"Oh, that's my favorite!"
""In 1966, during his annual two weeks of active duty, Stewart requested a combat assignment and participated in a bombing strike over Vietnam. Stewart's stepson, 1st Lt. Ronald McLean, was killed at age 24 in the Vietnam War."
Talk about your rare breed.
Damn right! And you have to work for it six to eight weeks too, sitting in that damn trailer waiting much of the time, and then having to read your lines off a teleprompter without your reading glasses!
In the words of Howard Hughes to Catherine Hepburn, "Remember, you'll always be just an actress"
And that's it.
Jim Carrey could be making bank if stuck to what he was best at. That is to be the craziest, wackiest, most hilarious and talented comedian out there today.
He put his country first.
We'll not see his likes in Hollywood again.
Or Audie Murphy.
Jim Carrey has done some funny work. I've always liked the Mask. A lot of what they mention is just the fact that most actors lose marketability as they get older. Clint Eastwood can't command the money he used to because he's not as bankable as he used to be. That's what's true of most of the actors and actresses on this list.
There are very few performers, particularly headliners, that maintain popularity for more than ten years. Robin Williams, for example, passed his "best used by" date about fifteen years ago. I don't think Tom Hanks is nearly as marketable as he used to be. Jake Whoevertheheck from Brokeback Mountain will get offers because Hollywood is run by homosexuals, but it will have nothing to do with marketability or money.
Seems like these Hollywood bubbleheads are missing me at the box office.
Or James Arness, Henry Fonda, Glenn Ford, Clark Gable, Lee Marvin, Tyrone Power... the list goes on. It was a different nation, and Hollywood wasn't determined to destroy it.
Carrey was funny as all get out on In Living Color. The other item that was always a riot, was "Mens on Film", with the two black queer characters doing movie reviews.
Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, Master and Commander, and The Aviator. That's it since, what? 1998 or 99, starting with SPR.
Since Hollywood makes obscene profits there should be windfall profit taxes on Hollywood's output :<}
Eternal Sunshine really was good. I also liked him in Man on the Moon. But the goofy stuff I can do without.
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