The science fiction world changed for good in 1977 when Lucas Films' released Star Wars: A New Hope, the first of many Star Wars movies that would go on to permanently percolate popular culture. Since then, the franchise has continued to expand. There were the prequel movies starring up-and-coming Hollywood stars like Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman and the recent sequel trilogy with Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac.
Disney bought the Star Wars franchise in 2012, opening up the possibility for TV shows and more future movies. Along with George Lucas, they produced two spin-off films, Star Wars: Rogue One and Solo, that told the origin stories of beloved characters. Disney +'s launch coincided with the release of an entirely new type of Star Wars show, The Mandalorian, a story featuring a baby Yoda, one of the franchise's most notable characters. In the summer of 2022, Disney premiered its show Obi-Wan Kenobi which reunites Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, reprising their roles over 15 after the prequel movies ended. The profits from Star Wars have allowed actors to receive huge paychecks for their roles. Who's earned the most from one show or Star Wars movie?
8 Alec Guinness, A New Hope
Alec Guinness only played a minor role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy, but he made a whopping $3.3 million from the first film in 1977. In contrast, young newcomer, Harrison Ford, earned a reported $10,000 for A New Hope. Allegedly, Guinness wasn't thrilled about the project, so his lawyer negotiated an extremely lucrative contract to get him in the movie.
7 Harrison Ford, A Force Awakens
Harrison Ford was a relative newcomer to movies when he signed on to the first Star Wars films. However, he's since become a Hollywood legend, playing iconic characters such as Indiana Jones. For Star Wars: A Force Awakens, Disney paid Ford the most of any actor in the film, supposedly between $10 and $20 million. Ford wasn't enthusiastic about the project, and his character got killed off as a result.
6 Mark Hamill, A Force Awakens
Mark Hamill might not have been paid the same large fortune as Harrison Ford in the first Star Wars sequel film, but he earned an impressive paycheck considering he barely acted in the movie. Disney paid Hamill between $1 and $3 million to play Luke Skywalker. He appeared in one scene at the end of the movie, an intriguing cliffhanger that sets him up for a more significant role in the following film.
5 Ewan McGregor, Return Of The Sith
By the time Ewan McGregor reprised his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Return of the Sith, he'd become one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, starring in award-winning films such as Moulin Rouge and Big Fish. He was paid heftily for his role in the last prequel movie, thanks to his success, around $7 million.
4 Felicity Jones, Rogue One
When Felicity Jones signed on to the Star Wars spin-off, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, she was already an established actress, having starred in films such as The Theory Of Everything and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Disney agreed to pay her $1 million for the starring role of Jyn. In contrast, Daisy Ridley only got paid around $100,000 for playing Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
3 Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Star Wars fans were incredibly excited about Hayden Christensen's return to the franchise. The star hasn't done much since the prequel films, but he's back for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. He has a net worth of $12 million, much of which we can assume came from Star Wars. It's unknown how much Christensen got paid for the new series, but probably a lot, considering the press and hype surrounding his return to the screen.
2 Adam Driver, A Force Awakens
Adam Driver was the highest paid among the new generation cast members in the Star Wars sequel movies. He was already an established actor before the films, starring in Girls. On the other hand, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega were big screen newcomers. Driver earns a solid mid to high six-figure salary for A Force Awakens, playing the complicated villain.
1 Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian
Disney's The Mandalorian propelled Star Wars' popularity into a new era: TV shows. Pedro Pascal, who plays the main character in the spin-off series, is the highest-paid actor in The Mandalorian. It's unknown how much he gets paid per episode, but he's getting a raise ahead of the third season while his fame continues to skyrocket.
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