Updated: December 30, 2025 12:13 PM IST
The star will earn $130-150 million for a film in 2025, which is more than double the amount any other actor takes for a project in an entire year.
It seemed like a century ago, when a million dollar contract was a big deal in Hollywood, and only the top superstars needed the respect and star power to get it. Today, the benchmark is $100 million. The biggest stars – the ones who shoulder tentpole movies for big franchises and studios – earn so much money for their biggest roles. In 2025, the man who was the highest paid actor in the world earned $150 million for just one movie. And he did so at the ripe age of 63.
World’s highest paid actor
supper star Tom Cruise became the world’s highest-paid actor this year after more than a decade. According to multiple sources, including Wealth, he made $130-150 million for the final Mission: Impossible film released this year. Tom’s earnings for Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning brought him to the top of the list after 10 years. According to Forbes, he was last the world’s highest-paid actor in 2012, when he earned $75 million. He removed Dwayne Johnson from the top, who has topped the rankings 5 ​​times in the last 9 years.
Who did Tom Cruise defeat?
How far ahead Tom Cruise was in the list of highest-paid actors of 2025 can be gauged from the fact that no other person earned even half of his earnings in a year. Daniel Craig came in second place with a salary of $50 million for the latest Knives Out film, followed by Cameron Diaz. The world’s highest-paid actress earned $45 million for Back in Action.
Other high earners include Brad Pitt ($30 million for F1), Leonardo DiCaprio ($25 million for One on One Fight), and Adam Sandler ($20 million for Happy Gilmore 2). India’s highest paid actor for the year was Rajinikanth. The Tamil superstar reportedly earned over $20 million for Coolie.
