How Much Money Nicolas Cage Earned from Both Ghost Rider Movies?
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe began to take over the box office and the hearts of audiences, 2007’s Ghost Rider, starring actor Nicolas Cage and based on a Marvel character, captivated audiences everywhere.
After the 2011 release of the sequel Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengence, which performed significantly worse at the box office and with critics than the first film, Cage decided not to make any more Ghost Rider films. The franchise ended with the 2011 film, but fans have always been curious about how much the actor made from the movies. The character Johnny Blaze has, however, made sporadic appearances in the MCU.
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Nicolas Cage was the ONLY choice for Johnny Blaze
In an interview with ComicBook.com, director Mark Steven Johnson shared that Nicolas Cage was the only one who was considered to play the character on-screen. Johnson said “Nic was always the choice for Ghost Rider. He has such a love for this character. There was never talk of anyone else playing Johnny Blaze.”
Even if the movie did not sit right with the critics, it surely managed to have a huge fan base, especially with Cage’s exceptional acting skills and his zeal to give his best to the character he is playing. Ardent fans of the MCU and the comic books have always appreciated the character portrayal by Cage and have expressed their desire to see the character back on the screen again.
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How much did Nicolas Cage earn with the Ghost Rider movies?
Ghost Rider had a budget of $110 million when Cage received somewhere around $12 to $20 million upfront and the movie went on to earn $229 million at the box office. The movie, however, did receive negative reviews from the critics, but it made a hold of the franchise pretty strong among the audience.
Talking about Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengence, Sony decided to axe the budget of the movie from $135 million to just $75 million, which only left Cage to take a paycheck of between $12 million to $7 million. The sequel went on to gross more than $132 million at the box office but the reviews from the critics were pretty bad, after which the actor decided not to be a part of another Ghost Rider movie. The sequel was also nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards; Worst Actor and Worst Remake, Rip-off or Sequel.
Shortly after, the character’s film rights were returned to Marvel Studios, and the Robbie Reyes-voiced Ghost Rider made an appearance in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
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What is Nicolas Cage’s net worth in 2023?
According to reports, Cage’s estimated net worth in 2023 at $25 million, and the actor has seen ups and downs when it comes to his finances over the years, as he was once at the top with a net worth of $150 million. In April, the actor opened up about being in debt to the IRS. During his conversation on 60 Minutes, Cage mentioned, “I was over-invested in real estate. … The real estate market crashed, and I couldn’t get out in time. I paid them all back, but it was about $6 million. I never filed for bankruptcy.”
He once held ownership of fifteen different properties, including two different European castles and a private island in the Bahamas. In addition, he was taking care of his ailing mother, whose care he claimed cost him more than $20,000 per month, according to GQ.
The actor said in 2019 during an interview with The New York Times that he cannot go into specifics or ratios but money is a factor when asked if his career decisions were influenced by his financial struggles in the mid-2000s and early 2010s. He said, “I still have to feel that, whether or not the movie around me entirely works, I’ll be able to deliver something and be fun to watch.”
Cage once demanded up to $20 million for each film. The Hollywood Reporter claims that after Cage’s professional comeback, he now receives about $4 million upfront for each film.
Source: Parade
