Angelina Jolie Salary Per Movie: How Much She Earned

Quick Answer

Angelina Jolie has earned some of Hollywood’s largest movie salaries. Her reported pay has ranged from several million dollars early in her career to more than $30 million for major blockbuster roles.

Her reported salary for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was about $7 million, while she earned around $12 million for The Cradle of Life. Her paycheck increased to approximately $15 million for Wanted, $20 million for Salt, and $33 million for Maleficent. More recent reports put her Eternals compensation at more than $35 million, although the exact contract terms are not public.

For major studio projects, Jolie has historically been able to command eight-figure salaries, with the exact amount depending on the movie, her role, and the deal she negotiated.

How Much Does Angelina Jolie Make Per Movie?

There is no single fixed Angelina Jolie salary per movie.

Her pay depends on the size of the production, her role, the studio, and the terms of her contract.

For large Hollywood productions, reports show that Jolie has commanded $15 million to $20 million or more for a single movie. Celebrity Net Worth reports that she earned more than $120 million in movie salaries between 2001 and 2011.

Her biggest reported paychecks came later in her career.

For example, Maleficent reportedly paid Jolie around $33 million, while her reported compensation for Eternals was more than $35 million.

That means Jolie’s movie salary has increased dramatically since her early days as Lara Croft.

Angelina Jolie Movie Salary at a Glance

Here are some of the most widely reported figures:

Movie	Year	Reported Salary
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider	2001	$7 million
The Cradle of Life	2003	$12 million
Beowulf	2007	$8 million
The Good Shepherd	2006	$10 million
A Mighty Heart	2007	$10 million
Wanted	2008	$15 million
Salt	2010	$20 million
The Tourist	2010	About $19 million to $20 million
Maleficent	2014	About $33 million
Eternals	2021	Reported above $35 million

These figures are publicly reported estimates. Hollywood contracts are private, so they should not be treated as official payroll records.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Salary

Angelina Jolie’s role as Lara Croft marked an important point in her career.

She reportedly earned approximately $7 million for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001.

The movie was a major commercial opportunity for Jolie.

It also helped establish her as an international action star. The film earned approximately $275 million worldwide, giving the studio a strong reason to bring her back for another installment.

At $7 million, Jolie was already earning considerably more than many actors. However, her future salaries would become much larger.

The Cradle of Life Salary

Jolie returned as Lara Croft in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life in 2003.

Her reported salary increased to approximately $12 million.

That represents a significant increase from the first movie.

The jump also shows how quickly Jolie’s bargaining power grew after the success of the original Tomb Raider.

Wanted Salary

By 2008, Jolie was commanding much larger checks.

She reportedly earned around $15 million for Wanted.

The action film starred Jolie alongside James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman.

The movie became another international success for Jolie. It earned around $342 million worldwide on a reported production budget of about $75 million.

Her salary reflected her ability to attract audiences outside the United States.

Forbes also noted around this period that Jolie could command more than $10 million per film.

Salt Salary

Salt was another major payday for Jolie.

She reportedly earned approximately $20 million to play Evelyn Salt in the 2010 action thriller.

The role was originally written with a male character in mind before being changed for Jolie.

The movie earned about $294 million worldwide.

At this stage of her career, Jolie had reached the level where a $20 million acting salary was realistic for a major studio action movie.

The Tourist Salary

Jolie appeared opposite Johnny Depp in The Tourist in 2010.

Her compensation has been reported at around $19 million to $20 million. Celebrity Net Worth lists $19 million, while other reports commonly round the figure to $20 million.

Forbes reported in 2010 that Jolie could command upwards of $10 million per movie and described her as one of Hollywood’s highest-paid stars.

The tourist eventually earned about $279 million worldwide.

Maleficent Salary

Maleficent produced one of the biggest paydays of Jolie’s career.

She reportedly earned approximately $33 million for the 2014 Disney movie.

The salary was notable because Jolie was the central star of the film, and the movie depended heavily on her portrayal of the famous Disney villain.

Maleficent became a major box-office success, earning approximately $758.5 million worldwide.

Time reported that Jolie’s $33 million paycheck helped make her one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood at the time.

This was a major turning point in her earning history.

Eternals’ Salary

Jolie joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Eternals, playing Thena.

Reports have put her compensation at more than $35 million. Parade identifies this as her biggest reported movie paycheck.

However, there is an important distinction.

The exact structure of a Marvel contract is not publicly available. A reported compensation figure can include more than a simple upfront acting salary.

Therefore, the safest wording is that Jolie reportedly earned more than $35 million in compensation for Eternals, rather than presenting the figure as a confirmed base salary.

The movie was released in 2021 and earned approximately $402 million worldwide.

Other Reported Angelina Jolie Movie Salaries

Jolie’s biggest paychecks attract the most attention, but she has earned substantial amounts from many other projects.

Celebrity Net Worth reports approximately:

Beowulf: $8 million
The Good Shepherd: $10 million
A Mighty Heart: $10 million
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: $7 million
The Cradle of Life: $12 million
Wanted: $15 million
Salt: $20 million
The Tourist: $19 million
Maleficent: $33 million

Not every Jolie movie has a reliable public salary figure.

For example, her compensation for Maria, the 2024 biographical drama about opera singer Maria Callas, has not been publicly confirmed. Parade notes that she likely accepted a much smaller upfront payment than she received for large studio blockbusters.

This is common for prestige films.

An actor may accept a smaller upfront salary because the role offers artistic value, awards potential, or greater creative control.

How Her Movie Salary Changed Over Time

Jolie’s career provides a clear example of how an actor’s earning power can change.

Early Career

Her early movie salaries were much smaller than the figures associated with her later blockbusters.

Lara Croft Era

The first Tomb Raider reportedly earned her $7 million.

The sequel increased that amount to about $12 million.

Hollywood Superstar Era

By Wanted, Jolie was reportedly earning $15 million.

Her salary then reached about $20 million for Salt and The Tourist.

Franchise and Blockbuster Era

Her Maleficent compensation reached approximately $33 million.

Her reported Eternals compensation went beyond $35 million.

This progression shows why Jolie became one of the industry’s highest-paid actresses.

Does Angelina Jolie Get Paid Only a Salary?

Not necessarily.

A major Hollywood contract can contain several forms of compensation.

An actor’s deal may include:

Upfront salary
Performance bonuses
Box-office bonuses
Producer fees
Backend participation
Merchandising arrangements
Other contractual payments

The exact details depend on the production.

For Jolie, some public reports use a single headline number, while the actual contract may have contained multiple components.

This is especially important when discussing large figures such as the reported $33 million for Maleficent or more than $35 million for Eternals.

Angelina Jolie’s Salary Compared With Other Hollywood Stars

Jolie has consistently ranked among the highest-paid actresses during the strongest periods of her career.

Forbes estimated that Jolie earned $30 million between May 2010 and May 2011, tying her with Sarah Jessica Parker for the top position among Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses that year. Forbes said its figures represented pretax gross income and did not deduct management, agent, or attorney fees.

This is different from saying that Jolie received exactly $30 million in movie salary.

The Forbes figure represented her total estimated earnings during that period, which could include more than one source.

How Much Has Angelina Jolie Earned From Movies?

Celebrity Net Worth estimates that Jolie earned more than $120 million in movie salaries between 2001 and 2011.

That is an extraordinary amount for a single decade.

Her income continued after 2011 through movies such as Maleficent, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and Eternals.

However, there is no reliable public total showing every dollar Jolie has earned from every film in her career.

That is why estimates should be used carefully.

Does Angelina Jolie Still Earn $20 Million Per Movie?

Not necessarily.

Her recent work has included a mixture of large commercial productions and more selective projects.

Her highest reported salaries came from major studio films where she was a central attraction.

For smaller independent or prestige projects, her upfront compensation may be considerably lower.

The reported salary for Maria, for example, is not publicly known.

Therefore, it would be inaccurate to say Jolie automatically earns $20 million every time she appears in a movie.

Key Takeaway

Angelina Jolie has been one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses for many years.

Her reported movie salaries increased from approximately $7 million for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider to $12 million for its sequel, $15 million for Wanted, $20 million for Salt and approximately $33 million for Maleficent. Her reported Eternals compensation was more than $35 million.

Her exact salary changes from project to project because every film has a different contract.

The available figures show a clear pattern: as Jolie became a global box-office star, her earning power rose into the eight-figure range.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Angelina Jolie make per movie?

For major studio films, Jolie has historically commanded roughly $10 million to $20 million or more, with some reported paydays exceeding $30 million.

What was Angelina Jolie’s biggest movie paycheck?

Her reported Eternals compensation was more than $35 million, while her Maleficent paycheck was approximately $33 million.

How much did Angelina Jolie make from Tomb Raider?

She reportedly earned $7 million for the first Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and approximately $12 million for The Cradle of Life.

How much did Angelina Jolie make from Wanted?

Jolie reportedly earned approximately $15 million for Wanted.

How much did Angelina Jolie make from Salt?

She reportedly earned approximately $20 million for Salt.

How much did Angelina Jolie make from Maleficent?

Jolie reportedly earned approximately $33 million for Maleficent.

How much did Angelina Jolie make from Eternals?

Reports say Jolie received more than $35 million in compensation for Eternals. The exact contract structure is not publicly available.

How much did Angelina Jolie make from The Tourist?

Her salary has been reported at approximately $19 million to $20 million.

Has Angelina Jolie earned more than $100 million from movies?

Yes. Celebrity Net Worth estimates that she earned more than $120 million in movie salaries between 2001 and 2011 alone.

Is Angelina Jolie still one of the highest-paid actresses?

She remains one of Hollywood’s most commercially valuable actresses, but her salary varies considerably depending on the project. Her largest reported paydays have come from major studio and franchise movies.