The talented Ryan Gosling has proven himself to be a reliable performer who can excel in any genre on the big screen. Gosling has done everything from sports movies to musicals, and he manages to stand out whenever he is on screen. This, naturally, has studios interested in working with him on their biggest projects.
Back in 2017, Blade Runner 2049 was gearing up to hit theaters, and it was poised to make some noise. It was a sequel to a classic from the 80s, and Gosling was going to be working alongside Harrison Ford. Because of the nature of the project, many wondered how much Gosling was being paid for the role.
Let’s take a closer look at Blade Runner 2049 and see how much Gosling was paid to star in the movie.
‘Blade Runner 2049’ Was A Sequel To A Classic
The sequel game in Hollywood is as tricky as anything in the business, as the fans can be exceptionally fickle with these projects. A great sequel can bolster a franchise and lead to other films, while a bad sequel can tarnish a legacy in a hurry. In the case of Blade Runner 2049, the sequel was being released a few decades after the original, making things even harder for all involved.
Originally released back in 1982, Blade Runner came out during a time when Harrison Ford was nothing less than gold at the box office. The action star was in the midst of his Star Wars and Indiana Jones run, meaning that he was already leading two franchises before taking on the role of Rick Deckard in Blade Runner. Despite having Ford on board, the film was a cult classic, not a best seller.
At the box office, Blade Runner didn’t put up the business that most thought it could, which was certainly not what the studio was hoping for. However, through the years, the movie has earned an incredbile legacy and is considered one of the best movies ever made. Over at Rotten Tomatoes, it is currently sitting with a 90% and a 91% with critics and fans, proving how much people love the movie.
When it was announced that Blade Runner 2049 was happening and that Ford was coming back, fans were excited to see who the studio would cast alongside him, and Ryan Gosling wound up landing the job.
Gosling Was Already A Successful Actor
Prior to being cast in Blade Runner 2049, Ryan Gosling had already proven that he was a capable leading man who could earn rave reviews for his performances and help lead a movie to the top of the box office. He spent years honing his craft, and as he grew older, Gosling made the most of his opportunities.
Not only had Gosling starred in movies like Remember the Titans, Fracture, and Drive, but Blade Runner 2049 was coming out the year following La La Land, which was a major success for Gosling. That film helped take his name value in Hollywood to an entirely new level, and it even scored him his second nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards.
Naturally, to get someone like Gosling on board with the film, it was going to cost the studio a pretty penny. Fortunately, there was a lot of money to go around, as the budget for Blade Runner 2049 has been estimated to be in the ballpark of $150 million, per box office mojo.
He Was Paid $10 Million
According to StaticBrain, Ryan Gosling was paid a handsome $10 million to star alongside Harrison Ford in Blade Runner 2049. This was a huge chunk of change for Gosling, and as of 2018’s First Man, it is the largest salary that he has taken home to star in a film.
Released in 2017, Blade Runner 2049 found itself in a similar situation to its predecessor. The movie was able to earn solid reviews from fans and critics alike, but when it came to its box office performance, a lot was left to be desired. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie was able to make $259 million, but again, the film required a huge budget to get made.
Critically, it holds an 88% with critics and an 81% with fans. Sure, this does not match what the first movie was able to accomplish critically, but we can’t imagine that the studio was upset to see that people genuinely enjoyed the movie. The box office haul, however, was not what they were hoping for.
Ryan Gosling made $10 million for Blade Runner 2049, and his performance was worth every penny in the film.