Like a theme in the movie, all sacrifices are rewarded.
“Top Gun: Maverick” has grossed $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office and hundreds of millions more through streaming and pay-per-view. Thanks to his $13 million upfront salary and a generous share of first-dollar gross revenue, Tom Cruise will earn between $100 and $130 million for the sequel’s success.
And while that is a very remarkable sum, it does not come close to the inflation-adjusted $194 million that Bruce Willis earned in 1999 for his highly great backend deal on “The Sixth Sense.” Even though earning $130–$200 million from a single film is incredibly remarkable for an actor, those earnings pale compared to Mel Gibson’s fortune from “The Passion of the Christ” in 2004.
Mel did not perform in “Passion” as he earned his pay as the film’s primary financial supporter or producer. Before his various public meltdowns tarnished his reputation, if not necessarily his ability to continue working, Mel Gibson was one of the most universally adored movie stars in Hollywood, thanks to his iconic performances in the “Mad Max” and “Lethal Weapons” franchises, as well as films such as “Signs,” “What Women Want,” and “Ransom.”
Mel also became known for his work behind the camera, directing the classic “Braveheart” before settling on his passion project, “The Passion of the Christ” (2004). When he approached studios for assistance in financing his passion project, they were mildly uneasy with the idea of making a purely religious film and extremely uneasy after learning Mel intended to make an extraordinarily graphically violent Christ narrative film.
Before it became a reality, Mel Gibson had been interested in creating an incredibly graphically violent Christ narrative film for years. However, even for someone with his Hollywood star power, the project was too ambitious for any major studio to undertake.
First, the religious subject matter was hazardous, as was the graphic violence, which Gibson intended to make more gruesome and realistic than in previous crucifixion movies. Then there was the fact that he wished to film the movie in historically authentic Aramaic with English subtitles, and Gibson was ultimately forced to finance the production on his own.
There is an ancient saying in the entertainment industry: “Never put up your own money”; however, it is sometimes the only way to produce a film. It has been known to happen if you’re passionate enough and have the financial resources.
This was the case for Gibson and “Passion,” as Mel Gibson contributed $30 million to cover the film’s projected production expenditures. Before its completion, he was forced to invest an additional $15 million, bringing his total personal investment in the film to $45 million.
Gibson took a significant risk by investing so much in an ostensibly non-commercial undertaking. And had the film met the industry’s low expectations, that would have been the end of the story: Mel Gibson would have become significantly poorer at producing a significant film to him.
However, as you may already know, “The Passion of the Christ” became an unexpected blockbuster. The controversy surrounding its release drew large crowds of believers and curious individuals equally.
The film grossed approximately $600 million at the box office, indicating that Gibson’s investment in the production was highly profitable. Before the film was released, Mel reached a distribution agreement with Newmarket Films, giving Newmarket and Gibson equal ownership of any revenues generated.
Mel Gibson’s 50% share of the box office proceeds was worth $150 million. Then, he earned an additional $75 million from DVD sales, created in 2004 but likely continue to trickle in today along with income from streaming rentals.
Even a second version of the film, “The Passion Recut,” was released in the spring of 2005, with most graphic violence omitted. During its relatively brief theatrical run, this film grossed more than $500,000 despite being a far cry from the box office phenomenon of its predecessor.
Then there’s the merchandising; it may seem odd for a biblical film, but “The Passion of the Christ” spawned many official merchandise opportunities, such as Christ nail necklaces and other items. “Newmarket” received no portion of these proceeds as the film’s primary investor, Gibson, receives the lion’s share of these revenues.
Mel Gibson’s revenues from “The Passion of the Christ” range from $400 million to $475 million when all factors are considered. Mr. Cruise has earned approximately $300 million from the numerous iterations of “Mission Impossible” to provide some context involving him again, and that’s $300 million made from SIX films.
No matter how the numbers are arranged, Mel Gibson’s “Passion” remains the highest-grossing individual endeavor in Hollywood history.