Christopher Nolan made a huge amount from Oppenheimer for striking this brilliant deal
Published on Sep 15, 2023 at 7:52 PM (UTC+4)
by Andie Reeves
Last updated on Sep 15, 2023 at 7:52 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
With a net worth of $250m, Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan hardly needs more cash.
Thanks to a genius deal he struck with Universal Pictures, however, his bank balance is pretty much sorted for life.
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His latest work about the creation of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer, was an instant hit.
Film buffs and movie critics alike praised the epic World War II biopic, and besides five-star reviews, the film also scored high in terms of ticket sales.
So far the film has made almost $900 million at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing WWII movie ever.
Nolan made a couple of demands before accepting the offer to direct the movie.
First, he asked for a $100 million budget and a further $100 million to be spent on marketing.
Then, he made a demand what is known as ‘first-dollar’.
Most directors and actors get offered an upfront fee for working on a film.
When you’ve really made it, however, you can start asking for a percentage of what the movie makes.
This is known as first-dollar gross, and that’s how Tom Cruise made over $100 million from Top Gun, by the way.
As for Nolan, he told Universal Pictures that he wanted 20% of every dollar Oppenheimer made.
So far Nolan has earned a respectable $180m.
This is sure to go up seeing as he also ordered for the film to be in cinemas for three to four months.
Many would sit back and relax after earning that much money, but that’s not Nolan’s style.
It’s reported that he’s about to take on two very iconic films.
Among other things, Nolan has been rumored to be the director of the upcoming James Bond films.
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Andie is a content writer from South Africa with a background in broadcasting and journalism. Starting her career in the glossy pages of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, Andie has a broad portfolio, covering everything from sustainability solutions to celebrity car collections. When not at her laptop Andie can be found sewing, recording her podcast, taking board games too seriously or road-tripping in her bright green Kia.