Christopher Nolan is assembling the best among the Hollywood actors for his next film after Oppenheimer. The filmmaker’s Oscar glory attracted many mainstream names to his next project, which is a second collaboration between Nolan and Universal Pictures. Charlize Theron is reportedly the latest A-lister to join the film, raising the bar for the new Nolan project.
When the film was first announced, Matt Damon, who starred in a supporting role in Oppenheimer, was one of the first casting decisions to come out. More actors are reportedly being cast in the film, including, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Lupita Nyong’o. The salaries of these actors alone make the Nolan film a costly affair.
Christopher Nolan’s Film Has Added Highly Paid Actors Including Charlize Theron
According to Deadline, Charlize Theron will reportedly join Christopher Nolan‘s next film. Universal Pictures is yet to release an official confirmation of this casting. According to Clutchpoints, Theron bagged a lucrative $18 million salary for reprising her role as Cipher in Fast X.
Her salary for Netflix’s streaming hit film The Old Guard was reportedly $16 million. It was also reported that her paycheck for the romcom Long Shot opposite Seth Rogen was $9 million. From these numbers, it is clear that Charlize Theron will come at an asking rate of $12-18 million for Nolan’s film.
Matt Damon, who is collaborating with Nolan for the third time, reportedly will have a more meatier role than in Oppenheimer. Damon’s salary for the film was $4 million, which is much lower than his usual asking rate. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he was likely paid $30 to $40 million as an upfront salary for the film Air.
Celebrity couples Tom Holland and Zendaya are reportedly reuniting in the Nolan film after their stint together in Spider-Man. Holland earned $10 million and Zendaya was paid $2 million for Spider-Man: No Way Home. According to ComingSoon.net, Holland’s estimated salary is about $4 million to $5 million per project. Zendaya’s salary was $300,000 for Spider-Man: Far from Home and Dune. However, her Dune 2 salary is reportedly $2 million.
Anne Hathaway reportedly asked for a fat paycheck to appear in a potential Devil Wears Prada sequel, which is currently in development (via Yahoo!). According to Spoiler Bolavip, Hathaway charged $7 million for her role in The Idea of You.
Robert Pattinson once took massive paychecks home for his role in the Twilight movies. For the last couple of Twilight films, Pattinson likely took home $25 million in salary (via Vulture). However, he has since given importance to the project’s quality and took smaller salaries. While his paycheck for Nolan’s Tenet is currently unknown, he took home $3 million for his role in The Batman (via Parade).
According to Showbiz Galore, Lupita Nyong’o reportedly took home $2 million for her role as Nakia in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The site also reported the same salary for Nyong’o for her appearance in A Quiet Place: Day One.
The Actors Alone Currently Cost Over $30 Million For Christopher Nolan’s New Film
For Christopher Nolan’s films, actors usually come at a lower cost than their usual salaries. These actors look forward to the opportunity of working with the director. A conservative estimate of the present ensemble cast’s asking rate puts Nolan’s film’s costs just over $30 million. Here’s what the actors could potentially ask for the film.
- Charlize Theron – $12 million
- Matt Damon – $4 million
- Tom Holland – $4 million
- Zendaya – $2 million
- Anne Hathaway – $7 million
- Robert Pattinson – $3 million
- Lupita Nyong’o – $2 million
The estimates currently add up to $34 million. The numbers can go higher or even lower depending on what the actors are asking for. The film’s logline has been under strict wraps and reports suggest that the filming will begin in early 2025. The film has received an IMAX release date of July 17, 2026.