Franchise films usually swing into action during peak times in the movie business, and once they do, they make it hard for other movies to thrive alongside them. Major franchises like the MCU, DC, and Star Wars all know how to dominate at the box office, and the lucky few that land leading roles in those franchises make the big bucks.

After it had been around for some time, Mark Wahlberg was able to land a leading role in the Transformers franchise, netting millions of dollars along the way. In fact, some of his biggest paydays in the movie business have come while leading the charge in the  Transformers universe.

Let’s take a look and see just how much money Mark Wahlberg was able to make in the franchise!

He Snagged $17 Million For 'Age Of Extinction'

To get the full picture of Wahlberg’s pay in the franchise, we need to look at his first of two pictures that he made. Back in 2014, Wahlberg took part in Age of Extinction, which was looking to capitalize on getting the new star on board.

By this point, there had already been three Transformers movies made, and they had all found success at the box office. However, the franchise was ready to inject some new life into what they were bringing to the big screen, and so Wahlberg was tabbed to be the leading man moving forward. According to The-NumbersDark of the Moon, which preceded Age of Extinction, made over $1 billion, setting a lofty goal for the new flick.

The-Numbers shows that Age of Extinction joined the $1 billion club, making for another huge success for the franchise. Statistic Brain notes that Wahlberg pocketed $17 million for appearing in the film. It is possible that he got more money once the profits came in, but that number is not known.

Now that things were off and running for Wahlberg in the Transformers franchise, it was clearly time for another sequel. While other franchises may have been more loved and had gotten more acclaim, there is no denying that this franchise knew how to make a penny at the box office.

Related: 10 Things You Never Knew From The Set Of Mark Wahlberg’s Films

He Got Up To $40 Million For 'The Last Knight'

After the success of Age of Extinction, Wahlberg had some leverage when it came to negotiating his pay. After all, he was already a huge star, and he proved that he could keep the franchise in the $1 billion club. So, it should come as no surprise to learn that Wahlberg got a massive raise for The Last Knight.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wahlberg was able to make up to $40 million for starring in the film. This is a staggering number for any performer to make, and few people in history have ever cleared this number. It was a financial achievement for Wahlberg, who was making more money than ever before.

Here’s where things get interesting. It was mentioned earlier that the two films preceding The Last Knight had cleared the $1 billion mark at the box office, and most assumed that it would do similar business. However, once the film was released into theaters, there would be a noticeable dip in its box office receipts.

According to The-NumbersThe Last Knight was able to make $602 million at the box office. Now, in most circumstances, this would be a total win for a studio, but this had to come as a huge disappointment for the folks behind the scenes. After all, this was a decline of $500 million, according to The-Numbers, meaning that a huge chunk of the audience had decided against seeing the movie.

After pocketing nearly $60 million combined for his two Transformers movies, people began to wonder if Wahlberg would be coming back for more flicks. After all, the box office receipts dipped, but a huge payday could still be there.

Related: How Much Money Was Shia LaBeouf Paid For The ‘Transformers’ Trilogy?

His Transformers Future

Wahlberg has two Transformers films to his name at this time, and he doesn’t seem like he will be coming back in the future.

Related: 10 Actors Who Fought With Directors…And Got Themselves Fired

He told Screen Rant, “Yeah, I don’t know. That would be up to the powers that be when they go into the think tank and figure it out. But I really just signed on to work with Michael. We had a great experience in Pain & Gain, so you know… if there’s no Michael there’s probably no me.”

He confirmed this to Fandango, saying, “I’ve done it enough, and I’ve had a great time doing it. I’m going out with a bang on this one, and I feel like you gotta go out while you’re ahead, you know. I think I’ve had a good run, and I’ve got a lot of other movies I want to do.”

Wahlberg cashed in while in the franchise, making a fortune while dominating the box office in the process.

Next: Is The Next ‘Transformers’ Movie On Track For A 2021 Premiere?