Tom Cruise first starred as a fighter pilot for the U.S. Navy in 1986 in the hit action film “Top Gun.” Helmed by future “Beverly Hills Cop II” and “The Last Boy Scout” director Tony Scott, the movie also saw Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, and Anthony Edwards star with Cruise in what became an impressive box office success. The action star returned in 2022 for “Top Gun: Maverick,” reprising his role.

Although he had a modest salary for his role in the sequel, Cruise had backend deals in place that would give him a share of every ticket sale. With “Top Gun: Maverick” grossing more than $1.1 billion and winning several Academy Award nominations, Variety estimates that the actor earned around $100 million in total for the film.

Add onto this the still impressive $2 million that Cruise earned for his original appearance in “Top Gun” way back in 1986 and playing Pete “Maverick” Mitchel has been a lucrative move for the actor. The investment may well have been worth it, as a studio executive explained that the actor puts in a huge amount of extra work promoting his movies and is one of just a few actors who justify figures this high.