Check Out the Highest-Paid Male Actors of 2025

Hollywood has revealed its top earners for 2025, and the list of highest-paid male actors shows both longtime stars and modern streaming sensations taking home huge paychecks. According to Forbes, Adam Sandler leads the pack, pulling in $48 million, closely followed by Tom Cruise at $46 million and Mark Wahlberg at $44 million.

Adam Sandler, 59, continues to dominate the streaming world. After leaving traditional movie theaters behind in 2014, Sandler became Netflix’s biggest star. In 2025, he produced and starred in the long-awaited Happy Gilmore 2 and also co-starred in Netflix’s Jay Kelly. “Sandler earns huge annual guarantees regardless of the commercial appeal of his projects,” notes industry insiders.

His work in Jay Kelly earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Golden Globes, along with several critics’ awards. Sandler’s ongoing partnership with Netflix keeps him at the top of the earnings chart year after year.

Tom Cruise, 63, also had a big year, earning $46 million. He reprised his iconic Ethan Hunt role in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Cruise took a smaller upfront fee in exchange for a rare first-dollar gross participation in the movie, which earned nearly $600 million at the global box office.

After decades of dominating the action genre, Cruise appears to be shifting focus toward critical acclaim, with an upcoming project under director Alejandro G. Iñárritu titled Digger planned for 2026 under his Warner Bros. development deal.

Mark Wahlberg, 54, had a busy 2025 with major streaming projects. He starred in AppleTV’s The Family Plan 2 and Prime Video’s Play Dirty, reportedly earning $25 million for the latter. Wahlberg also worked on Mel Gibson’s smaller film Flight Risk and several producing projects. His old hit, Good Vibrations, continues to bring in royalties from TV shows and movies. This mix of acting, producing, and residual income keeps Wahlberg in high demand.

Brad Pitt, 62, also made $41 million in 2025, largely thanks to Apple’s ambitious F1 movie. Apple spared no expense to assemble a top team with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski. Pitt negotiated a traditional gross participation deal, allowing him to earn a portion of the film’s $600 million box office. The film even earned a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, and a sequel is already planned.

Denzel Washington, 71, earned $38 million for his role in Highest 2 Lowest, his fifth collaboration with director Spike Lee. Washington received an estimated $35 million fee plus a buyout, a record-level deal for Hollywood standards. Despite having over 50 films in his back catalog, which continue to generate income, Washington told reporters last year, “I don’t watch movies! I’m tired of movies.”

Jack Black, 56, earned $28 million after a busy year that included Kung Fu Panda projects, Super Mario Bros., and A Minecraft Movie. He also co-starred with Paul Rudd in a reboot of Anaconda, a modest hit for Sony. Black remains one of the top children’s movie stars worldwide, proving his appeal spans generations.

Jason Momoa, 46, matched Black’s earnings with $28 million. He has shifted from playing Aquaman in the previous DC Universe to Lobo in the new James Gunn-led DCU. Momoa also starred in A Minecraft Movie, which already has a sequel in development, and led the AppleTV series Chief of War. Outside of acting, he tours with his rock band Öof Tatatá in the U.S. and the U.K., keeping him busy on multiple fronts.

Daniel Craig, 58, earned $27 million, thanks in part to Netflix’s Knives Out sequels. Craig received a two-picture deal with handsome guarantees for both himself and director Rian Johnson. His recent success positions him for a key role in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Chronicles of Narnia adaptation.

John Cena, 48, earned $26 million in 2025. The WWE superstar recently retired from wrestling after 23 years, but has become a streaming comedy and superhero favorite. He starred in Heads of State and returned for season two of Peacemaker in the DC Universe. Cena also earns from commercial deals with McDonald’s, Neutrogena, and Honda.

George Clooney, 64, made $25 million, balancing stage and screen. He co-wrote, produced, and starred in a Broadway hit with Good Night, and Good Luck, but most of his earnings came from Netflix’s Jay Kelly, earning a Golden Globe nomination. His fees and back-end participation accounted for the majority of his pay.

Leonardo DiCaprio, 51, also made $25 million. His role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another earned $210 million at the global box office. DiCaprio’s reputation allows him to secure major projects, and he is reportedly being considered for numerous upcoming roles, including biopics and high-profile dramas.

Rob Mac, 48, earned $23 million in a strong year. He sold a minority stake in Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC and filed to legally change his name from Rob McElhenney to Rob Mac. On TV, he produced and starred in season 17 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, as well as season four of Mythic Quest, further cementing his reputation as a versatile showrunner and actor.

Chris Pratt, 46, made $22 million in 2025. He starred in The Electric State alongside Millie Bobby Brown and returned for a new season of The Terminal List on Prime Video. Pratt also produces content through his own production company and is set to star in the 2026 adaptation of Way of the Warrior Kid.

Tom Hardy, 48, earned $21 million with multiple projects. Paramount’s previous regime offered above-market rates for stars to boost its streaming service, leading to Hardy’s roles in MobLand and The Agency. He also produced and starred in Gareth Evans’ action thriller Havoc for Netflix, cementing his reputation as a reliable action star.

Finally, Jason Bateman, 57, earned $19 million. His voice work in Zootopia 2, which grossed $1.8 billion, helped him earn millions. Bateman also starred in Netflix’s Black Rabbit and continues to make money from his Smartless podcast alongside Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.

2025 was a major year for Hollywood’s leading men. Streaming deals, blockbuster franchises, and strategic back-end participation allowed actors like Adam Sandler, Tom Cruise, and Mark Wahlberg to earn tens of millions. Meanwhile, veterans such as Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, and Leonardo DiCaprio continue to command huge salaries thanks to both theatrical releases and streaming.

These earnings highlight how the industry has evolved. Top-tier actors now earn not just from box office results, but from streaming rights, back-end deals, and high-profile commercial endorsements. As the lines between traditional cinema and streaming continue to blur, the actors on this list have mastered both worlds.

From Sandler’s dominance on Netflix to Momoa’s franchise versatility and Hardy’s streaming hits, 2025 showcased the earning power of talent across genres, mediums, and age ranges. Each actor leveraged their career strategically, proving that star power, reputation, and business acumen remain the keys to success in Hollywood.

Which of these 2025 earnings surprises you the most? Do you think streaming platforms have changed the game for actors’ pay? Share your thoughts in the comments.