Kevin Hart has become one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, commanding nearly $18 million per motion picture, which are similar to the numbers Johnny Depp makes for a flick. Needless to say, Hart has become a force to be reckoned with in the film industry — but it’s not just his movie roles that have been earning him the big bucks.
The father of four is the founder of HartBeat Productions, with most of his films being produced by his own firm, meaning that if the film is a success, Hart earns an additional income from box office sales. He’s also known for being paid millions of dollars just to promote his projects on social media, with Hollywood studios willing to pay up to $2 million for a hefty promotional campaign on all of his official accounts.
Hart has a string of endorsement deals that are generating him close to $10 million a year on top of still dedicating time to stand-up comedy. His What Now? tour became the highest-grossing comedy tour ever, according to Billboard, selling over 600,000 tickets in and grossing more than $35 million in just under a month.
So, how does a man who practically makes money from left to right amass an impressive $65 million during a pandemic? Here’s the lowdown…
Kevin Hart’s Earnings
Hart is reportedly worth $200 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, but those figures are more than likely going to skyrocket the next time his fortune is updated because the 42-year-old had an incredible year in 2020.
While most celebrities were pondering how they were going to make money after the health crisis erupted in March 2020, Hart seemed far from worried because he was still getting a lot of work done from home.
During the pandemic, Hart closed multiple deals, such as a four-picture contract with Netflix to both star and produce the movies through his HartBeat Productions, according to Deadline.
While Netflix did not disclose how much they had paid the comedian for the deal, the streaming platform famously paid Adam Sandler $150 million for a similar agreement involving a four-picture extension, so it’s fair to believe that Hart’s earnings from Netflix are in the same ballpark.
Hart has had a great relationship with the company ever since his stand-up No F***s Given became the top comedy special of 2020, with over 21 million subscribers watching the special within the first four weeks of its release.
The funnyman confirmed the Netflix deal in an Instagram post, where he gushed, Excited about this new chapter for myself & my company. I am beyond blessed and thankful for my team at HartBeat Productions….
“I truly believe in our ability to make global films that will make a lasting impact in cinema history for years to come. We are just getting started people.....It’s all about the ‘We’ not the ‘Me.’”
A follow-up statement read, “Partnering with Netflix is an amazing opportunity for HartBeat and myself. I am excited to act in and produce cutting-edge films with Netflix. I am extremely grateful to Ted Sarandos and Scott Stuber, we share the same creative vision and always put the audience first.”
Aside from the enormous deal, Hart starred in a string of projects throughout 2020, including the TV series Die Hart, Coach Kev, and The Netflix Afterparty. He also commenced work on his first film with Netflix under his latest contract, titled Fatherhood, which was released in May 2021.
His IMDb page shows that Hart has an incredible sum of movies coming out in the next year ranging from The Man from Toronto, Borderlands, My Own Worst Enemy, Uptown Saturday Night, The Great Outdoors, Ride Along 3, and the TV mini-series True Story.
In July 2021, it was announced that The Real Husbands of Hollywood was being revived for BET’s streaming service BET+, with all of its original cast members — Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin, JB Smoove, Nelly, Nick Cannon, and Robin Thicke — onboard to reprise their roles.
Hart, who will also be back for the show, is once again producing the series under his HartBeat Productions. Simply put, if Hart is starring in the project, he’s more than likely going to hold sort some of the producer credentials to the project.
This has allowed him to earn much more than just a salary for acting in a movie. Putting up his own money to help put the movies and television shows together has proven to be incredibly rewarding for the Jumanji star, and given how he’s generated more than $4 billion at the box office, he’s proven to put out successful project after project.