How Much Money Did Tom Cruise Make from Top Gun vs Top Gun: Maverick?

Anyone who has followed Hollywood might have heard about massive earnings for A-list actors, but much of this information is often speculative or exaggerated. This article delves into the real earnings of Tom Cruise from both Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, separating fact from fiction.

Adjusted Tom Cruise’s Top Gun Paycheck

To understand Tom Cruise’s earnings, we must first look at his pay from the 1986 classic, Top Gun. According to Parade, the actor was paid approximately $2 million for his role in Tony Scott’s film. Adjusted for inflation, and with a starting date for filming of June 1985, this figure equates to around $5.6 million in 2023 dollars.

Tom Cruise’s Maverick Paycheck

Top Gun: Maverick saw Tom Cruise receiving a significantly larger paycheck. Initial reports from Variety indicate he was paid $12-14 million for his role in the new film. However, factors such as runaway bonuses and advances make this figure more complex.

Notably, the 2022 update from Variety claimed that Tom Cruise's earnings could be more than 100 million dollars.

Hollywood Accounting 101

The claim of over $100 million may seem confusing, but this is a common practice in the film industry known as Hollywood Accounting. This method involves deferred compensation, where a star negotiates to receive a larger share of the film’s earnings down the line. Such payments are made after the studio recoups its costs, excelling profits, and box office bonuses.

In the case of Top Gun: Maverick — which has grossed nearly $1.2 billion globally — Tom Cruise secures substantial bonuses before the studio even starts making a profit. Specifically, he commands a percentage of the first-dollar gross, earning before the studio profits. This means that Cruise can earn substantial amounts even after the movie has already made significant box office revenues.

As of now, with the film still doing well, sources estimate that Tom Cruise could net another $100 million or more from a combination of ticket sales, advances, and eventual home entertainment rentals and streaming revenue.

The Takeaway

While Tom Cruise was indeed well-compensated for his roles in both Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, this is just a small part of his career earnings. Tom Cruise has star power in other film franchises such as Mission: Impossible and Jack Reacher. Expect him to continue acting until he no longer has breath in his body.

Best wishes to Tom Cruise in his continued career success!