$29-30 Million… Did Dwayne Johnson Earn Less Money Than Kevin Hart For Jumanji 2 Because of 1 Wicked Business Move? | HO
Dwayne Johnson may be one of the highest-paid actors in the world but Kevin Hart may have beaten him in one of his most successful franchises.
Dwayne Johnson will reportedly be returning to the role of Dr. Xander Bravestone in the upcoming Jumanji 3. The actor has been working on several projects, though he has yet to make a full-fledged appearance since Black Adam. Sony Pictures has reportedly booked a release date of December 2026 for the threequel.
Johnson starred along with Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, and Nick Jonas in the previous film. While the Rock was also a producer on the adventure comedy, he reportedly received a hefty paycheck of $23.5 million for the film. Still, Kevin Hart recently revealed that the success of the film netted him a final payout of close to $30 million.
How Much Did Kevin Hart Earn For Jumanji: The Next Level?
The cast of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle | Credits: Sony Pictures
While commanding a huge upfront salary is one way to determine the value of a movie star, some opt for a different payout model which sometimes net them a bigger paycheck. Some of the biggest stars opt for backend points, taking a cut from the profits of the film while getting paid a smaller upfront salary.
Looks like Kevin Hart chose a similar model for appearing in the sequel Jumanji: The Next Level. The actor reprised his role as Mouse in the sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which acted as a soft reboot of the Robin Williams-starring original. Both films were a huge success, with The Next Level earning $801 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
Kevin Hart in Jumanji: The Next Level | Credits: Sony Pictures
The financial success of the movies has reportedly been good for Hart as his salary was directly related to how much money the film would make at the box office. In an interview with James Corden on The Late Late Show, Hart revealed what his final payout was.
If I had to do a rough guess… see, I’m a ‘back end player’, so it’s not about what you take upfront…I didn’t want upfront money for the movie, so I took less money and hoped that the movie would find amazing success because I’m a good partner. Because of the success of the movie, overall, you’re probably looking at between $25 million to $30 million, I would say.
The first film, Welcome to the Jungle was an even bigger hit, earning a whopping $962 million at the box office worldwide (via Box Office Mojo).
Dwayne Johnson’s Salary For Jumanji 3 May Be His Highest One Yet
Dwayne Johnson in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle | Credits: Sony Pictures
Dwayne Johnson starred along with Kevin Hart in the Jumanji films. He was also a producer on the film through his Seven Bucks Productions. While Hart may have received close to $30 million, Parade reported that Johnson’s salary was $23.5 million although with backend profits, the figure might be higher.
The success of Jumanji: The Next Level has led to Sony announcing a threequel. According to THR, the studio announced Jumanji 3 with Johnson, Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan expected to return. The studio has fixed a release date of December 11, 2026. Johnson had earlier revealed that this might be the last film.
While the Rock’s final payday for The Next Level remains a mystery, his salary for the third film may be his highest one yet as his figure has gone up quite a bit since the previous film. He was reportedly paid a whopping $30 million upfront salary for the film Red One, which Variety reported might increase to $50 million with backend profits, making him the highest-paid actor ever.
