Walt Disney is paying a lot of money to get Harrison Ford to return to a galaxy far, far away.
That’s the takeaway from a Guardian piece that claims Ford could make up to $34 million for reprising his role as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The salary includes a $25 million upfront with a slim share of the film’s gross earnings.
Notably, Ford is getting paid 56 times the $450,000 flat fee received by British newcomers John Boyega and Daisy Ridley—who each play new leading characters in the film. His salary is also far above the $1.5 million reportedly paid to Carrie Fisher to return to the franchise. “Harrison is the key to making this movie work,” a Disney source told the Daily Mail.
The pay disparity between Ford and Fisher could raise questions about the gender gap in Hollywood. While both Han Solo and Fisher’s Princess Leia are beloved by the property’s fans, Solo is arguably a more iconic character. Solo ranks high on many “Greatest Male Movie Character” lists—as does Indiana Jones, another character portrayed by Ford.
The high payday may have paid off for Disney (DIS)—the new Star Wars film brought in $238 million in North America, the biggest box office opening weekend in history, and globally generated revenue of $517 million.
