‘Superman’ cast salaries revealed: Villain Nicholas Hoult earns more than superhero David Corenswet

James Gunn’s new film Superman has sparked interest not just for its fresh take on the iconic hero, but also for the salaries of its lead cast. In a surprising twist, David Corenswet, who plays Superman, is not the highest-paid actor in the film. Rather, Nicholas Hoult, playing the role of the antagonist Lex Luthor, is being paid the highest amount for the movie. This has raised eyebrows as normally the actor playing the main superhero character is the best-paid actor, whereas in this case, things are kept different.

According to reports, the pay structure highlights Gunn’s strategic focus on talent and potential over traditional star power, while maintaining a tight grip on the film’s overall budget.

David Corenswet, who is relatively new to leading roles in big-budget superhero films, is being paid $750,000 for his role as Superman. His co-star Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Lois Lane, is also getting the same amount—$750,000. This shows that both the main hero and the female lead are being treated equally in terms of base salary. However, their pay is considered modest when compared to what many other superhero actors have earned in similar films in the past.

Nicholas Hoult, who has more experience in major Hollywood projects, is getting paid $2 million for playing Lex Luthor. He is the highest-paid actor in the cast. Hoult’s long experience and recognition in the industry is believed to be the reason behind this higher pay. He has worked in several major films over the years, which adds value to his presence in the movie.

Nathan Fillion is reportedly earning $400,000 for his role as the Green Lantern. Interestingly, this amount is matched only by Edi Gathegi, who plays the brilliant and composed Mister Terrific in the movie. Their roles, while not central to the Superman-Lois-Luthor triangle, bring both gravitas and fan-favourite energy to the ensemble cast.

In addition to their base salaries, all three main actors, Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult have a chance to earn more money based on the movie’s box-office success. This is called a "box-office bonus." If the film does well, they will receive extra payments. This kind of performance-based pay is common in the film industry to motivate actors and reward them for the film’s success.

When compared to what actors earned in earlier superhero films, the salaries in Superman may seem modest — but they're far from unusual for a franchise’s first outing. Robert Downey Jr. earned just $500,000 for the original Iron Man, while Chris Evans reportedly received $300,000 for his debut as Captain America. Even Henry Cavill, whose Man of Steel came with a larger production budget, earned a relatively higher fee in line with that scale.

James Gunn reportedly followed a cost-effective casting strategy. He chose actors who have talent and potential but are not demanding very high fees. Gunn believes in giving chances to rising stars and helping them become famous, rather than spending the budget on already established big names. This also helps the studio save money while creating a new version of the ‘Superman’ story.