OldBoy

So by now, most know that Charlize Theron took "Aeon Flux" simply for the money (or at least that is what she says perhaps after hearing the movie was going to be critically panned). Why she would do a movie because of that, because we know she can't be too bad off in the financial situation department, is also stupifying.

So a few questions...

1) what are some other films that were made strictly for the actor or actress to make some dough? and how did the movie turn out?

2)what would possess an "A" list star, such as Theron, to do such a thing when there is no way they need the $ or is it just a response to universal drubbing?

Cardiac161

Bruce Willis in Hudson Hawk
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Last Action Hero
Jim Carey in The Cable Guy
Sylvester Stallone in Rambo 3

All were big budget flops. And the reason for these actors to make them was to further boost their egos.

Jericho

Theron's been in plenty of movies, but it's only recently she's become a big name where she can get ginormous salaries. aeon Flux probably came around right after her Oscar buzz/win. I'm guessing it might have sounded interesting or she wanted a break after serious films like Monster (and if it film before aeon, North Country) or there was no other good projects at the time or she was doing someone a favor or she wanted to collect Faberge eggs.

Matthew Chmiel

Jim Carrey might've gotten a huge payday for The Cable Guy, but the film itself is actually a pretty solid dark comedy.

scott shelton

Or Paramount said, "Hey! You just won an Oscar and you're now a household name! Here's a 10 million dollar payday to grab your attention to star in out next potential franchise!"

This thread could be endless. It would be harder to list movies that actors DIDN'T do for money.

It's their living, and most will go where the paycheck leads.

Patman

I read in Premiere that Theron signed on to star in "Aeon Flux" before her Oscar win (along with "North Country").

scott shelton

Premiere also still thinks that Libby Gelman Waxner column is still funny. I wouldn't trust everything they say.

IDrinkMolson

Demi Moore: Striptease.

Premise

Ocean's 12

Rockmjd23

Cuba Gooding Jr's entire post-Jerry Maguire career.

scott shelton

Good example, but a tricky situation. The cast took pay cuts to be in the film, with promise of huge back end money when/if the film made it big.

I think that dealing shows the most integrity of an actor. It forces the talent to gamble on themselves. I'd like to see more of that.

The Infidel

I wouldn't call Charlize an A-list actress just because she won an Oscar. If she were to have had top billing in a string of highly successful, blockbuster-type movies, then yes.

slavetotherave

I think I read somewhere that Morgan Freeman said that the only reason he did Batman Begins was for the dinero.

RayChuang

Of course, who could forget Eddie Murphy in The Adventures of Pluto Nash? Boy, was that a stinker....

JayPen

How bout Halle Berry in Catwoman? At least I hope she got paid for that flop.

gotrice487

One word: Gigli

clemente

So, is this just going to become a list of movies, were actors got paid lots of money, but the movie sucked/tanked?

They're actors, they get paid to act. If some company came and offered me big bucks to do shit work....I'd jump at it to.

I'm reminded of something Christopher Walken said 'I don't say no to work, I'm an actor, its how I make a living'

Joe Molotov

I'm not sure if I entirely understand the question. The way it's worded makes it sound like the studios made these movies with the sole purpose of paying a lot of money to an actor. I'm pretty sure that's not the case.

William Fuld

Theron admits she only did Aeon Flux for the money?

ShallowHal

Pulp Fiction 2. I hope.

Fincher Fan

Jason Statham, Burt Reynolds and the rest of the cast of In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale.

Fincher Fan

Sam Neill, William H. Macy - Jurassic Park III

Legolas

The original post seems phrased awfully wrong, so....

Eddie Murphy took the money to make The Golden Child without having read the script.

Michael Caine made Jaws: The Revenge to basically get a paid vacation.

$$$$ HAS TO BE the reason Sean Connery agreed to make Highlander 2. There's just no other explanation, unless the director had blackmailed him with naughty photos or something.

On the other end, Harrison Ford turned down Michael Douglas' role in Traffic because it would've required a massive pay cut.

Also, Hudson Hawk was a long-time-in-the-making labor of love for Bruce Willis. It bombed big, but he definitely didn't do it for the money. Though I think he took the money to do Billy Bathgate.

jaeufraser

I think we should stick to actors who openly admit they did the film just for the money.

A movie may suck, but that doens't necessarily mean "it was just for the money". Of course, this is their job, so it's not like money doesn't cross the mind when any actor takes a role.

But for two real examples...

John Malkovich for Con-Air. I remember reading an interview where he openly said "it's for the money".

And same with Richard Dreyfuss. From any interview with him regarding the upcoming Poseiden Adventure...

"Devin: So I understand that you retired from films in 2004. What brought you back?

Dreyfuss: Money.

Devin: OK. But what was it about Poseidon in particular that really got your interest?

Dreyfuss: The money they offered."

nightmaster

Exactly. And I'll be damned if I can see or understand why people have a problem with that.

Actors are workers/people who are looking to earn money. I'll be the first person to say that the top of the heap actors are vastly overpaid, but if I could get a job and be vastly overpaid for what I do, I would JUMP on that job regardless of what someone else's opinion is. I fix machines for a living. I don't want to take a huge cut in pay to do that for someplace where some other company needs me more than the one in which I work. If she can take a 'meaningful little film with a deep story' and make $1 million, or take a sci-fi throwaway and make 10 times that, why do people think she's doing something awful for taking $10 million??? She has an Oscar for best actress to her credit, and she's able to use that notoriety to make more money than most of us can ever see in our lifetime. In short she's taking care of herself and her loved ones; that's what most all of us do, for the most money we can make.