The Richest Sherlock Holmes Actors, Ranked By Net Worth
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From the BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch to the movie starring Robert Downey Jr. and the Netflix adaptation with Henry Cavill, each depiction of Holmes has a different story to tell. Arthur Conan Doyle, the mastermind creator of Sherlock Holmes, first introduced the character in the novelette A Study In Scarlet in 1887. The world’s only consulting detective, Doyle based Holmes’ mannerisms on his professor Dr. Joseph Bell from the University of Edinburgh. The character became famous from its first publication. The character's popularity has only grown since then, and many creators have adapted his adventures from the books into movies and television shows. Very few actors have bagged the role of the eccentric Sherlock Holmes, who entertains the audiences even today. The actors have made millions playing the iconic role that has brought them into the spotlight. Let’s take a look at the net worth of the Sherlock Holmes actors.
Henry Cavill ($40 million)
Henry Cavill has become a well-established action star, best known for his performance as Superman in the DCEU. Cavill has amassed a $40 million net worth working in television shows and movies. His most notable salaries include earning $14 million for Man Of Steel, including base pay and a portion of the box office earnings. According to Cosmopolitan, Cavill was paid $400,000 per episode for the first season of the fantasy show The Witcher, and his salary was hiked to $1 million per episode in season two.
In 2020, Cavill ventured into the mystery crime genre when he joined the Netflix movie Enola Holmes cast as Sherlock Holmes. While actors have played Holmes as a self-obsessed, selfish yet brilliant detective, Cavill’s portrayal was a fresh take. Enola Holmes delved into the caring, concerned, and slightly more empathetic version of the world-famous detective loved by audiences. The movie was made on a $20 million budget and grossed $110 million in the United States and $216 million worldwide, becoming one of the most-watched Netflix original movies.
Benedict Cumberbatch ($40 million)
Benedict Cumberbatch, became famous after starring in Sherlock alongside Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson for the BBC series. The show received rave reviews for the clever plot and stunning cast members that played their roles to perfection. Cumberbatch portrayed the role for four seasons from 2010 to 2017 and made $559,000 per season of the show, as stated by The Things. While the show's fifth season was speculated to be in development, the creators, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have not confirmed the series for another season.
Benedict Cumberbatch went on to bag another high-profile role after playing Sherlock Holmes as Dr. Strange in the MCU. With a $40 million net worth, a notable portion of the earnings comes from his appearances in Marvel movies. The actor has donned the red clock for six movies to date and has earned hefty paychecks. For his standalone 2015 film Dr. Strange, Cumberbatch made $5.5 million, and for the 2022 Dr. Strange: And The Multiverse Of Madness, Cumberbatch is paid $7.5 million and an additional cut from the box office earnings.
Robert Downey Jr. ($300 million)
Robert Downey Jr. has had the feat of starring in some of the highest-grossing movies of all time that made billions at the box office worldwide. While he will always be best known for portraying the Marvel superhero Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. has also starred as Sherlock Holmes. The actor was the consulting detective in two movies: Sherlock Holmes in 2009 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows in 2011, earning $498.4 million and $535.6 million worldwide. As mentioned by Celebrity Net Worth, Downey was paid $15 million for starring in the 2011 Holmes sequel.
The actor is also hailed as the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His 2008 movie Iron Man launched a new phase of cinema that changed the history of superhero movies. Downey was only paid $500,000 for his first movie. However, his salaries increased with every passing film. He made $10 million for Iron Man 2, $50 million for The Avengers, $80 million for Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and $75 million each for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, as reported by Screen Rant. His salaries have included base pay and back-end profits from the box office collection.
Henry Cavill, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Robert Downey Jr. have enchanted audiences with their eccentric performances of the notorious detective while bringing a version of themselves into the roles. While Downey and Cumberbatch may not be reprising their roles any time soon, Henry Cavill will return for Enola Holmes 2, set for a 2022 release on Netflix.
Sources: Cosmopolitan, The Things, Celebrity Net Worth, Screen Rant
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