How Bruce Willis Made $100 Million for ‘The Sixth Sense’ Despite a $14 Million Salary
Bruce Willis is one of the most recognized and talented actors of his generation. His aphasia diagnosis means he’ll no longer be making movies, but his net worth and earnings throughout his career ensure Willis has a seamless retirement. Here’s how Willis made $100 million for The Sixth Sense despite negotiating a $14 million salary.
A rundown of Bruce Willis’s career
Willis began acting in the ’80s when he first appeared in an uncredited role in 1980’s The First Deadly Sin. The actor garnered mainstream fame when he appeared in Moonlighting. For his role in the series, Willis earned several nominations, including a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nods.
His status as an action movie star came in 1988 when he landed the lead role in Die Hard. The role earned him critical acclaim and opened the door for more opportunities. But they weren’t all successful.
In 1997, Willis landed a role in a sports comedy titled Broadway Brawler. The movie was set to follow the footstep of the Tom Cruise-led comedy-drama Jerry Maguire. However, it never saw the light of day thanks to Willis. Anyone who crossed the star got fired and replaced. By the time Willis had fired half of the crew, the movie had taken up $17 million, and production had to fold.
Willis had to compensate for the lost money by signing a three-picture deal with Disney to take a $17 million pay cut. The deal saw him make The Sixth Sense, Armageddon, and The Kid for less money than his $20 million asking price.
Bruce Willis’ ‘The Sixth Sense’ salary was supplemented by a deal
When Willis signed on to appear in The Sixth Sense, he asked for upfront payment which saw him take home $14 million. The studio made The Sixth Sense on a $40 million budget meaning the star’s salary ate up a considerable portion of the budget.
But Willis was able to negotiate a sweet deal in his contract. According to The Richest, Willis asked for 17% of the movie’s global box office gross and additional rights to the film’s home video sales. The negotiation was a risky endeavor, especially on the studio’s end, but it ultimately paid off.
The Sixth Sense was a massive box office success earning $672 million worldwide and becoming the second highest-grossing film of 1999. The actor ended up earning $114 million for his part in the movie. Willis’s negotiation tactic was a stroke of genius because had he decided to go with his usual asking price, he would have lost out on over $80 million.
What is Bruce Willis’s net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth estimates that Willis is worth $250 million. In addition to his The Sixth Sense payday, the outlet notes that Willis’s earnings from the Die Hard franchise amount to nearly $80 million, having earned $25 million for the fourth movie.
For his voice work in Look Who’s Talking and its sequel, the star took home $20 million. The outlet notes that in 2000, Willis took home a total of $55 million, and in 2002 $46 million.
