Johnny Depp is the new Adam Sandler … when it comes to return on investment, that is.
Depp has been named Hollywood’s most overpaid actor in 2015 by Forbes — a list Sandler topped for the last two years (he was ineligible this year due to his Netflix deal). Depp’s recent movies, “Mortdecai” and “Transcendence,” returned a meager $1.20 for every $1 he was paid on them. Depp came in second on Forbes’ 2014 list.
“Mortdecai,” co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, grossed just $47.3 million (only $7.7 million of it at the domestic box office) on a $60 million budget, while “Transcendence” earned $103 worldwide, barely covering its production costs. With sequels to two big Disney franchises on the pipeline, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” his stay on the list may be short-lived.
Forbes examined the last three movies each actor starred in before June 2015, excluding animated films and those in limited release.
Denzel Washington was runner-up, returning $6.50 for every $1 he earned from his recent films. Although the actor didn’t have any big flops this year, with “The Equalizer” reeling in $192.3 million on a $55 million budget, his salary was evidently inflated.
Will Ferrell — king of the list in 2009 and 2010 — came in third with “Get Hard.” His newest comedy, “Daddy’s Home,” co-starring Mark Wahlberg, hits theaters this weekend. Ferrell returned $6.80 for every $1 earned — a slight edge over Liam Neeson’s $7.20 for every $1.
A-listers Will Smith, Christian Bale, Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck and Tom Cruise rounded out the top 10.
Here’s the full list of 2015’s most overpaid actors:
1. Johnny Depp: $1.20 per $1
2. Denzel Washington: $6.50 per $1
3. Will Ferrell: $6.80 per $1
4. Liam Neeson: $7.80 per $1
5. Will Smith: $8.60 per $1
6. Christian Bale: $9.20 per $1
7. Channing Tatum: $10.80 per $1
8. Brad Pitt: $12.00 per $1
9. Ben Affleck: $12.30 per $1
10. Tom Cruise: $13.60 per $1
variety.com