“You make more on an episode of The Walking Dead”: Tim Miller Earned Only $225,000 for Deadpool, Shares His 1 Regret With Ryan Reynolds’ Superhero

SUMMARY

• Tim Miller earned only $225,000 for directing Deadpool, despite the film’s $782 million box office success.
• Ryan Reynolds took pay cuts and focused on creative integrity to bring Deadpool to life.
• Merchandise sales, including Deadpool & Wolverine crossover, added to the franchise's financial success.

Deadpool’s rise as a blockbuster franchise has been nothing short of extraordinary! The once-neglected character is now a huge pop culture phenomenon, all thanks to the film’s humor, action sequences, and Ryan Reynolds who played the role to perfection. 

Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool | Marvel Entertainment

Over time, the superhero had a cult following, but amid all the praises for the actor and the character itself, Tim Miller, the man who helmed the first film was severely overlooked. So, let’s look at the surprising details of his journey, particularly about the modest pay for a multi-million dollar movie. 

Tim Miller’s Paycheck for Deadpool

Tim Miller | Corridor Crew / YouTube

During a panel at CCXP in São Paulo, Tim Miller revealed the amount he took home for directing Deadpool, and the figure was astonishingly low! He also expressed how directing The Walking Dead episode pays more than the amount he earned, and how working for two years on the project wasn’t nearly compensated (via Collider). 

Deadpool was Miller’s directorial debut, but his salary still reflects Hollywood’s rigid pay structures. The film went on to earn $782 million worldwide, but the director didn’t even make a fraction of its overall number. He also expressed regret of not having a part of the merchandise profit, so he could be fairly paid for the work he put in. 

Deadpool merchandise and Ryan Reynolds’ sacrifices

Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool | Marvel Entertainment

The commercial success for Deadpool has certainly gone beyond the sold tickets, and even though the exact figures for merchandise sales aren’t available, we know that the Deadpool & Wolverine crossover had record-breaking sales. AMC-exclusive merchandise program sold out entirely, making it one of the most profitable movie merchandise campaigns (via BoxOffice Pro). 

Moreover, Ryan Reynolds’ efforts were instrumental in getting the movie made, as he took significant risks to ensure its production. He accepted pay cuts so that the movie could thrive creatively, and tried to focus more on the character than the spectacle (via The Independent)

Reynolds’ gamble paid off, as he made a lot of money through the backend profits, and walked away with $30-40 million for Deadpool 2 (via Parade). The earnings of the merchandise and the actor’s success just prove that Tim Miller truly missed out on the financial slice of the movie’s cultural domination.

But he’s still proud of shaping Hollywood’s most beloved superhero, as the project turned out to be a career-defining opportunity for him, if not a gold mine of fortune. With that being said, important creatives on the project, such as the director, should be fairly compensated for their efforts, especially when they are the stepping stone to the franchise’s monumental success. 

You can watch Deadpool and its next installment on Disney+.

Written by Sonika Kamble

Articles Published: 385

Sonika thrives on her passion for cinema, artistic expression, and philosophical exploration. Every medium of storytelling intrigues her, and she can’t help but dissect the layers to unravel the deeper meaning behind an arc or a scene. She finds contentment in playing chess, vibing to background scores, and penning the next chapter of her book. Sonika is driven by the idea of being a dutiful and responsible human who dedicates herself to a task, regardless of the outcome—a principle she’s committed to upholding at FandomWire.