Mel Gibson, 65, is one enormously successful guy. Actor, director, producer - he's had just about every big position going in Hollywood, and he has a host of not only big-budget, but incredibly iconic film titles to his name. Braveheart, Mad Max, and The Passion of the Christ are but a few major films he is known for. Despite some of his controversial comments in the past, Gibson continues to work in the film industry, both acting and directing, and also has interests in various other ventures - holding an enormous property portfolio with homes and assets all across the globe.
His first film role paid him just $400, but as his career went on he was able to command tens of millions of dollars to work on a single film. So just how much is directorial sensation Gibson worth? Read on to find out.
6 He Earned His First $1 Million Check From 'Mad Max'
Gibson began hitting the big time in the movie industry during the late seventies. In 1979, his career really took off following his appearance in the very first Mad Max movie of the ensuing franchise, where he starred as the lead character Max Rockatansky - hero of the dismal, post-apocalyptic world in which the movie is set. The movie was an enormous success, grossing over $100m at the box office, and catapulted its Australian star to worldwide fame.
The film's unprecented success came off the back of a modest budget, meaning Gibson was paid only a paltry $15,000 for his work on Mad Max. He was earning a significantly higher pay checks by the time the third installment, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome came about in 1985, however. For this movie, Gibson received his first seven-figure amount - reportedly $1.2 million.
5 Mel Gibson's Biggest Salary Amounts Were In Excess Of $25 Million
Mel Gibson's career has seen its fair share of ups and downs, and taking a look at his salary amounts over the years demonstrates this. For his very first movie appearance, made while he was still a student at NIDA, Gibson received only $400!
By the time he had become an established star, however, the Aussie actor was commanding fees well in excess of $25m. In 2002 - at the height of his career - Gibson appeared in the movies Signs and We Were Soldiers. It was an extremely lucrative year for him - receiving over $50m for these two movies alone.
4 It's Mel Gibson's Directing Which Has Earned Him The Most Money, However
These astronomical amounts are mere small fry, however, when you look into Gibson's income from his directorial work. Perhaps his biggest movie, The Passion of the Christ, saw him invest over $30m of his own money into production - but the outlay certainly paid off. Because he owned the rights to a 50% cut of the film's final profits, Gibson received over $300 million from box office receipts for this highly controversial movie.
3 Mel Gibson Has Also Received Millions From Movie Merchandise
Directing, financing, and producing your own movie can reap big rewards financially if the picture takes off, and things really paid off big time for Gibson when it came to 2004 religious epic The Passion of the Christ. In addition to a very healthy cut of the viewing revenues for the movie, Gibson also came in line to receive a tidy amount for the film's merchandise. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Gibson saw between $50-100 million from Passion merchandise.
DVD sales for the movie were also incredible. He gained at least $75m from the home media sales too.
2 Mel Gibson Is Also A Canny Investor
Gibson also has interests beyond acting, directing, and producing. His wealth from the film industry has allowed him to branch out into the very lucrative real estate sector. Gibson owns properties all across the world, including Malibu, Costa Rica, Fiji, and throughout his home country of Australia. One of his highest-valued assets he has owned in his time, a large estate in Connecticut, USA, was bought for $9m and later sold for $40m in 2007, seeing him turn a tidy profit on the property.
He certainly likes to splurge on real estate and land. He reportedly once spent $15 million alone on a volcanic island in the South Pacific. Not bad!
1 So How Much Is Mel Gibson Worth In Total?
All these enormous acting salaries, director fees, and real estate profits certainly give the impression at Gibson is a singularly wealthy individual. You may be surprised to discover just how much he is actually worth though. Taking in his entire financial history, including various charitable deductions, Gibson is worth - in total - a pretty unbelievable $425 million, and even this figure may be a gross underestimate.
Gibson's decades of work in the entertainment industry, his dramatic turns in iconic movies, and track record for innovative work, have served to make him an exceptionally wealthy man - even among the rich elite of the acting world.
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