Forbes Highest Paid Actors: Tom Cruise is Rolling in the Divorce Settlement-Ready Dough

Every year Forbes releases its list of Hollywood’s highest paid actors, and the results are often surprising.  Take this year, for example, with Tom Cruise topping the list at $75 million.  Though Cruise was paid handsomely for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Rock of Ages, it seems more likely that he would’ve topped the list in 1992 rather than 2012.  But Cruise leads the pack with more than double the take of the two actors tied in second place, Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Sandler, both at $37 million (though I guess I’ll add the expected comment about Cruise’s pending divorce possibly taking a hit of that income here).  Sandler remains an annual top earner, even if his movies tend to get worse by the year.

Coming in just under DiCaprio and Sandler is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson ($36 million), who has recently been called “franchise Viagra” based on helping both Fast Five and Journey 2 The Mysterious Island become the highest grossing films in their respective franchises.  Paramount is certainly hoping he can work his magic a third time with the recently delayed G.I. Joe sequel. Read more

‘Rock of Ages’ Director on Tom Cruise: “He’s probably genetically predisposed to sing, but no one’s ever asked him to before”

There are a lot of famous actors in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical hit Rock of Ages, but the one who steals the show is Tom Cruise.  Cruise completely owns another role as rock god Stacee Jaxx, even though many wouldn’t initially think of Cruise as a good choice for the Axl Rose-like role.

But according to Adam Shankman, the film’s director, getting Cruise involved was easier than he expected.  He explains, “I was thinking to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we got one of the biggest movie stars in the world to play one of the biggest rock stars in the world?’ And, as luck would have it, I ran into Tom Cruise, told him I was directing this movie, that it was a musical, and that I was going to offer him this part.  He said, ‘Are you serious?’  I said I was.  Then I described Stacee to him and he laughed really hard.  The next thing I knew, he was in, and I was making a musical with Tom Cruise.” Read more

Biography: Tom Cruise

Listen to Tom Cruise Sing “Pour Some Sugar On Me” from ‘Rock of Ages’

People all over Twitter (and beyond) are slamming Rock of Ages for how cheesy it looks and how it doesn’t represent the 80′s they know and love.

I say screw them.

I’m looking forward to this film and I’m hoping that it does really well. It’s got a great cast in Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russel Brand, Malin Ackerman, Bryan Cranston and Tom Cruise and some great classic songs. Yeah, it’s not going to win any awards but I’m betting it’ll be a fun time. 

Anyway, courtesy of People, you can hear Cruise singing the chorus to the Def Leppard song, “Pour Some Sugar On Me” from the soundtrack.

Listen to it below!

Read more

Trailer: ‘Rock of Ages’ starring Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Ackerman, Bryan Cranston, Alec Baldwin, Tom Cruise

Rock of Ages: Based on the hit Broadway musical, Rock of Ages tells the story of small town girl Sherrie and city boy Drew, who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock ‘n’ roll romance is told through the heart-pounding hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake, and more.

Cast: Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Ackerman, Mary J. Blige, Bryan Cranston, Alec Baldwin, Tom Cruise

Director: Adam Shankman

In Theaters: June 1st, 2012 
Read more

Final Trailer: ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol: Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates “Ghost Protocol”. Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency’s name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Ving Rhames, Josh Holloway, Tom Wilkinson

Directed by: Brad Bird

In Theaters: December 21, 2011
Read more

Trailer: “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” starring Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner, Josh Holloway

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol: The IMF is shut down when it’s implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot. Ghost Protocol is initiated and Ethan Hunt and his rogue new team must go undercover to clear their organization’s name. No help, no contact, off the grid. You have never seen a mission grittier and more intense than this.

Director: Brad Bird

Cast: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner, Josh Holloway, Paula Patton

In Theaters: December 16, 2011

Read more

Josh Lucas to star in NBC’s “The Firm”

“The Lincoln Lawyer” star Josh Lucas is considering a move from the big screen to the small one, negotiating to star in NBC’s ”The Firm.”

Lukas Reiter penned the two-hour pilot script, which picks up ten years from the point where the movie left off (starring Tom Cruise) and we see Mitch McDeere leaving the Federal Witness Protection Program after bringing down a Memphis law firm run by the mafia.

This would be the first television series for Lucas, who has been busy with films Life as we Know It, Glory Road and  A Year in the Mooring.

Will Ferrell is #1!

For the 2nd straight year, Will Ferrell is the most overpaid actor in terms of box-office worth.

According to Forbes magazine, his movies bring in $3.35 for every dollar he’s paid.

Other actors on the list include Eddie Murphy (#2), Denzel Washington, Drew Barrymore, Matt Damon and Adam Sandler.

The best value? Shia LaBeouf. He’s paid $1 for every $81 his movies made. No doubt he’s helped by the Transformers franchise because I didn’t see Wall Street 2 break any box-office records.

Here’s the list:

1. Will Ferrell
2. Eddie Murphy ($1 for every $4.45)
3. Denzel Washington ($1 for every $5.10)
4. Seth Rogen ($1 for every $6.75)
5. Tom Cruise ($1 for every $7.20)
6. Drew Barrymore ($1 for every $7.45)
7. Matt Damon ($1 for every $8.30)
8. Vince Vaughn ($1 for every $8.35)
9. Adam Sandler ($1 for every $8.45)
10. Jim Carrey ($1 for every $8.60)

Screenplay: Knight and Day

Want the screenplay to Knight and Day?

Sure you do! (Ok, maybe not judging how much it made this weekend).

Click here for the script

Director: James Mangold

Cast: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Viola Davis, Olivier Martinez, Paul Dano

Next Page »