In recent years, the superhero genre has reigned supreme at the movies and on TV, raking in billions of dollars in the process. Whether it’s a comic book hero we all know and love, or a new and exciting character, we all flock to these stories of struggle and triumph. The success of comic book adaptations has led superhero flicks to cast some of the biggest movie stars working today, so we decided to take a look at some of the highest net worth actors who have donned capes and cowls. These are the 10 richest actors to have played superheroes.
10. Scarlett Johannson
Net Worth: $80 Million
Starting things off is Scarlett Johannson, easily one of the most popular, beautiful, and highest paid actresses in Hollywood. In fact, she has been named “Sexiest Woman Alive” multiple times by Esquire and was also once voted “Sexiest Celebrity” by Playboy. Johannson appears on this list for her role as Black Widow in the Iron Man and Avengers series. These films have, of course, been massively successful and have made her an even bigger star than she already was, introducing her to a whole new fanbase.
9. Christian Bale
Net Worth: $80 Million
Currently, Christian Bale is one of the most talented and sought after leading men in all of Hollywood, regarded by many as one of the best actors of his generation. Despite being in a number of high profile and award-winning films, Bale is perhaps best known for his performance of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy. He won several awards for these performances, which led to many more high profile roles for the actor, as well as increased critical recognition among critics, his peers, and fans alike.
8. Halle Berry
Net Worth: $80 Million
For years now, Halle Berry has been one of the most famous and respected actresses in Hollywood and was the highest paid actress in Hollywood throughout most of the 2000s. She has an Academy Award for Monster’s Ball and has appeared as the lead actress in numerous major films. However, she is likely best known for her role as “Storm”, a mutant with the ability to control the weather and fly, in the X-Men film series. This role and her many others have contributed to her immense commercial success as an actress. The less said about her turn as Catwoman, the better.
7. Ben Affleck
Net Worth: $85 Million
When it comes to the entertainment industry, Ben Affleck is a jack of all trades, having worked as a producer, director, and actor. In terms of acting, Affleck has had a wide variety of roles, having appeared in dramas, comedies and yes, even superhero films. In 2003, he played the role of Marvel hero Daredevil, but his biggest superhero flick is yet to come. Affleck is set to play Batman in Batman v Superman, due out March 25, 2016, and will don the cowl again in 2017 and 2019 for Justice League Part 1 and 2 , as well as several standalone Batman films. It’s safe to say we will be seeing much more of Affleck in superhero roles in the coming years.
6. Hugh Jackman
Net Worth: $150 Million
Jackman has received international fame and celebrity status for his roles in a variety of different film genres such as romance, period dramas and of course, superhero films. He is without a doubt best known for his long-running role as Wolverine in the X-Men series. His take on the character is so popular that he’s pretty much become the face of the franchise, having appeared in every film in the series. In fact, in the whole X-Men film series he is probably the most well-known and popular character of them all. He is also very active in theater and has even hosted the Tony Awards on four separate occasions. To top it all of, he’s even been nominated for both an Emmy and an Academy Award, an impressive distinction for someone in show business.
5. Samuel L. Jackson
Net Worth: $170 Million
Samuel L. Jackson is definitely one of the most famous actors of all time. He has been active for decades and has been in more blockbuster films than we can count. In fact, he has been in so many films that he holds the record for the highest all-time box office star with over $4.572 billion total box office gross to his credit. He has been nominated for numerous awards and is a face and voice that almost anyone who watches movies recognizes. One of his biggest and most prevalent roles is as Nick Fury, having played the character in many of Marvel’s current run of comic book films.
4. Robert Downey Jr.
Net Worth: $220 Million
Robert Downey Jr. has one of the most interesting acting career stories out there. He had a lot of success in his youth, followed by a period of drug abuse and various legal troubles, before experiencing a career resurgence of monumental success in middle age. His comeback is thanks to his extremely popular turn in the Iron Man series, in which he portrays enigmatic billionaire Tony Stark. Each of the Iron Man films grossed over a billion dollars and were huge commercial successes, which has led Robert Downey Jr. to be one of the highest paid actors working in Hollywood today.
3. George Clooney
Net Worth: $250 Million
Clooney is one of the prototypical “leading men” in Hollywood, well-regarded as a very talented actor, producer, and director. In fact, Clooney has received two Academy Awards in his career, one for acting and one for producing. He is not only one of the biggest movie stars of our time, he was also named as one of Time’s most influential people in 2009. He appears on this list for his portrayal of the Dark Knight in 1997’s Batman and Robin. Despite the film being a modest box office success, it was a big critical flop, yet Clooney still earns a spot on this list because of his status as one of the richest actors in Hollywood.
2. Will Smith
Net Worth: $260 Million
Will Smith is a true jack of all trades in the entertainment business. He got his start as a rapper, then was a huge success on television and eventually transitioned into becoming one of the best and most popular actors in Hollywood. He is one of the most “bankable” stars in the world, which means most of his movies he is a leading man in go on to be monumental commercial successes. Despite being known for other works, Will Smith has played a superhero a couple times, first as a down-on-his-luck hero in Hancock (2008) and as the antihero Deadshot in the upcoming Suicide Squad, due out next year.
1. Jessica Alba
Net Worth: $350 Million
The entry might surprise some but it is true: Jessica Alba has the highest net worth of any actor working today who has played a superhero. Alba is not only a very popular actress on both TV and film, but she is also consistently seen as one of the sexiest stars in Hollywood. She appears on this list for her portrayal of Sue Storm/Invisible Woman in the Fantastic Four series. Despite making a lot of money in showbiz, a large portion of her huge net worth comes from her stake in the company she co-founded called “The Honest Company,” which has a valuation of nearly $2 billion.
