Kevin Costner’s Biggest Hollywood Paydays Revealed

Kevin Costner’s bank balance has been the talk of the town, especially after court documents from his split with Christine Baumgartner put his net worth anywhere between $200 million and $400 million. With claims of monthly earnings over $1.5 million and family outgoings topping $550,000, it’s clear the bloke’s had some hefty paydays. But which gigs actually brought in the most dosh? Here’s a look at Costner’s top-earning roles, ranked from big to massive.

Waterworld: A Costly Gamble

Back in 1995, Costner took a punt on Waterworld, turning down a lead in The Shawshank Redemption to work again with director Kevin Reynolds. The film, set in a world swamped by melted ice caps, saw Costner as the Mariner. Things got messy behind the scenes, with the shoot blowing out from 96 to 150 days and the budget ballooning from $100 million to $175 million. The friendship between Costner and Reynolds copped a hit, too.

Despite the chaos, Costner pocketed $14 million for his troubles. The film was panned at the box office and lost Universal Pictures a stack of cash at first, but eventually clawed back some profit through home video and telly rights. At the time, Costner was also dealing with a divorce from Cindy Silva, which reportedly cost him $80 million.

The Bodyguard: Box Office Gold

Costner’s turn alongside Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard might not have won over the critics, but punters flocked to see it. The film, about a pop star and her ex-Secret Service minder, was labelled melodramatic and cheesy, but it raked in $411 million on a $25 million budget. Costner’s pay packet? Somewhere between $20 million and $30 million, thanks to a tidy deal. He even held up filming for a year to fit Houston’s schedule.

Yellowstone: TV’s Top Earner

Costner’s role as John Dutton in Yellowstone made him the highest-paid actor on telly. He started out on $500,000 an episode in 2018, but by season five, he was pulling in $1.3 million per episode. Over 47 episodes, that’s nearly $30 million. Creative clashes with showrunner Taylor Sheridan saw Costner walk away before the final season, but not before he’d made a mint. He also wore the executive producer hat for the series.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Dances With Wolves

Costner’s payday for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a whopping $40 million, thanks to a deal giving him a slice of the profits. The film copped a bit of stick for his accent, but still pulled in $390.5 million at the box office. Years later, Costner even sued for unpaid earnings from his profit share.

But it was Dances With Wolves that really set him up. Costner directed and starred in the 1990 Western, putting all his own money on the line. His initial salary was just $3 million, but the film’s runaway success and his share as director saw him walk away with $50 million. The film won seven Oscars and made $424.2 million worldwide on a $22 million budget. Not bad for a bloke who couldn’t find anyone else to direct it.