When Warner Bros. wanted Jack Nicholson to play the Joker in 1989’s “Batman,” his usual fee was $10 million. He agreed to $6 million.
In return, he got a share of the movie’s earnings, including Joker merchandise, according to CelebrityNetWorth. The site reported that the deal paid him more than $40 million within a few years and an estimated $60 million by the mid-1990s.
The Studio Wanted a Star
Nicholson had been the studio’s top choice for the Joker since 1980. Producer Jon Peters approached him about the role in 1986, according to the film’s production history.
Director Tim Burton wanted John Glover, but the studio insisted on a movie star. Tim Curry, David Bowie, Peter O’Toole, John Lithgow and James Woods were also considered. Robin Williams lobbied hard for the part.
What Was in the Contract
Nicholson got top billing on the film’s promotional materials and approval over his makeup designer. His contract also set his daily hours off and gave him time off for Los Angeles Lakers home games.
He asked to shoot all of his scenes in three weeks. The shoot ran 106 days.
He was also credited first in the opening titles, ahead of Michael Keaton, who played Batman, Far Out Magazine noted.
$411 Million at the Box Office
“Batman” opened in the U.S. on June 23, 1989. It cost $48 million to make and grossed $411.6 million worldwide, $251.4 million of it in North America.
It won the Oscar for Best Art Direction, with production designer Anton Furst and set decorator Peter Young.
More than $750 million worth of “Batman” merchandise was sold, according to the film’s history. Nicholson had a share of that.
How Much He Made
Estimates vary. Den of Geek put his take at at least $60 million. His biographer, Marc Eliot, put it as high as $90 million.
CelebrityNetWorth says $60 million in 1990s money is worth about $130 million today.
Nicholson hasn’t made a movie since 2010’s “How Do You Know.” The axe he used in “The Shining” is going up for auction as part of a Stanley Kubrick collection.
