We’ve all seen it before. Some big name, and usually talented actor who for some reason that totally baffles us, appears in a stupid stinker of a movie which leaves us wondering “why on earth would they agree to be in THAT movie???”. Happens all the time, too often actually.
Well, the folks over at Entertainment Weekly just put up their list of what they call “When stars see dollar signs — The 25 most shameless paycheck-grabbing roles in history”. It actually a pretty fun read. I don’t agree with everything on the list, but for the most part it’s right on the money (get it? HAHA… oh shut up). So here is their list with my own little commentary:
25. Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again - Oh ouch. One of his worst
24. Jason Alexander in Dunston Checks In - To be fair, everything he’s done post Sienfeld has been a sad money grab
23. Bill Murray in Garfield - I still don’t understand what on earth he was thinking
22. Marlon Brando in Superman - What?!?!?! I loved that he was in this
21. Matt Dillon in Herbie: Fully Loaded - I thought we all agreed to just pretend this movie doesn’t exist
20. Cuba Gooding Jr. in Chill Factor - SHOW ME THE MONEY. Man, after the Oscar I thought this guy was going to take off
19. Elizabeth Taylor in The Flintstones - HAHA… yeah
18. Ben Affleck in Paycheck - I’m in the minority here. I actually thought Paycheck was ok
17. Buster Keaton in Beach Blanket Bingo - Never saw it
16. Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich in Eragon - It pains me so much to agree
15. Christopher Walken in Kangaroo Jack - Yeah, what’s up with Walken? He’s a genius, but had been appearing in more and more shit that’s totally beneith him
14. Richard Pryor in Superman III - Don’t even get me started
13. Faye Dunaway in Supergirl - How about ANYONE in Supergirl
12. William Hurt in Lost in Space - To be honest, the guys career was sort of stagnant at that time… he needed the work
11. Laurence Olivier in Clash of the Titans - Blasphemy!!!! This movie still rocks!
10. Demi Moore in Striptease - Boobies, even nice ones, do not a good movie make
9. Michael Caine in Jaws: The Revenge - This one is a great trivia question
8. Judi Dench in The Chronicles of Riddick - What a garbage film
7. Orson Welles in Transformers: The Movie - Again i say BLASPHEMY!!!!
6. Peter O’Toole in Club Paradise - Even the best have bad days
5. Dennis Hopper in Super Mario Bros. - No comment
4. Tony Curtis in The Bad News Bears Go to Japan - Never saw it
3. Sir Ben Kingsley in BloodRayne - Best actor making the worst decisions in Movies today
2. Richard Burton in Exorcist II: The Heretic - yikes
1. Robert De Niro in The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle - Let’s be honest, in the last 10 years De Niro has made almost ALL rotten movies, but yeah, this was his worst performance in anything.
There are a couple I would like to add to that list personally:
Harrison Ford - Anything he’s done since Air Force One
Anthony Hopkins - Instinct
Guy Pierce - Time Machine
Al Pachino - Simone
Ewan McGregor - Eye of he Beholder
Robert Redford - The Last Castle
Morgan Freeman - Edison
Cate Blanchett - The Missing
Who would YOU add to that list?
48 Comments, Comment or Ping
nautica
i’d like to add - jackie chan in the tuxedo. what’s the point of putting jackie in an action movie and use all cg effects?
Feb 8th, 2007
Norddeth
I totally agree with you on Paycheck, I kinda liked that flick. I have to disagree on Chronicles of Riddick, Im a SciFi geek and thought it was pretty sweet.
Those last ones you added seemed to be more Indie’ish films, I would count those as more of “favors” being called in as opposed to the small paychecks they must have received.
And Im disappointed you didn’t point out the pun in Affleck doing Paycheck for the Paycheck!!!
Nord
Feb 8th, 2007
Kevin C
I thought Instinct was an AWESOME flick! Is that a guilty pleasure I am unaware of?
Feb 8th, 2007
Marina
Ohhhh, this (Morgan Freeman - Edison) is a good one. What WAS he thinking?
Feb 8th, 2007
Matt
Hey John,
I saw this list when it was in their mag about a month ago. I was thinking of telling you about it then, so glad to see you’ve found it. Like you said, it was a good ready but I disagreed with a lot of it.
23. Bill Murray in Garfield - Couldn’t disagree more with this one. As kid watching this cartoon after school, I always thought it was Bill Murray doing Garfield. When someone is perfect for a role, they should be excluded from critism no matter how Non-Roth a movie is.
22. Marlon Brando in Superman - Exclusion 2: It was just to fun to see him in this role/movie. Exclusion 3: Sometimes the studio is to blame for not giving up and driving a dumptruck full of money up to someone’s house.
21. Matt Dillon in Herbie: Fully Loaded - I didn’t agree with this one because I just can’t believe that any role Matt Dillion has been offered could be for that much money.
15. Christopher Walken in Kangaroo Jack - This was a money grab but…Exclusion 4: When you’re Christopher Walken or Steve Buscemi. Part of there gig is to find these mini roles and cameos, most of them turn out great but they all can’t.
14. Richard Pryor in Superman III - Richard Pryon is good to see in almost anything but I’ll give this one to you.
13. Faye Dunaway in Supergirl - How about any _____ girl!
12. William Hurt in Lost in Space - Agree with you, he needed work.
10. Demi Moore in Striptease - Exclusion 5: When it’s to show breasts.
7. Orson Welles in Transformers: The Movie - Exclusion 6: When the money grab has anything to do with the Transformers.
5. Dennis Hopper in Super Mario Bros. - No comment. Dennis Hopper, Bob Hoskins, and Super Mario Bros are all great on their own, what happened?
1. Robert De Niro in The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle - This is a money grab but I’ve always just pretended that he loved this cartoon all those years ago and couldn’t pass this role up for that reason.
Feb 8th, 2007
Andrew Edmark
I actually liked Pacino in Simone. Am I the only one!?
Feb 8th, 2007
Glasseyerod
I did not see Eragon, but did it not have the potential to be great. Is it the fault of Jeremy Irons or John Malkovich that it did not reach its potential.
Which could be the case in a few of the movies listed. How many times have we been duped by a great movie premise just to wish we had not wasted 2 hours of our lives.
I may even forgive Bill Murray for voicing Garfield if it had an unhealthy obsession with the mediocre comic strip, or if his kids were big fans of the cat.
I say put anyone associated with Star Wars Episodes 1, 2, or 3, especially if they were getting a cut of box office, in this list. The second George came to any of them, they were seeing dollar signs and new this thing was going to be a cash cow no matter how bad it was.
Feb 8th, 2007
rafael
I watched Ben Kingsley in a movie over the weekend - A sound of thunder. Holy Frijoles what a stinker. Did Ben owe someone some money or a “favor ” somewhere? Come on studio heads. This guy was Ghandi and was in Schindler’s list. He is a great actor, but please stop putting him these crappy movies!
Feb 8th, 2007
frankwolftown
Morgan Freeman in Batman Begins.
Or the one where he’s doing all that narrating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Gj57b-87Q
Feb 8th, 2007
Genger
I thought Instinct was brutal - solely because some parts of the film’s script was VEERRRYY loosely based on an absolutely thought provoking and brilliant book (Ishmael by Daniel Quinn).
Feb 8th, 2007
Jon
AMEN Nautica. Yes Andrew you are the only one who thought Pacino was good in Simone. I have one more for you, Matt Damon in Stuck On Me. Shit for that matter, Greg Kinnear Stuck On Me. Both stellar actors in one god awful film.
Feb 8th, 2007
Josh
Actually, I saw the mag that had this and Marlon Brando in Superman is listed only because of huge paycheck he got for so few workdays. Just out of curiosity, did anyone see the Brando scenes that the added back to Superman 2? One of them is actually kinda chilling!
I wouldnt say DeNiro in Rocky and Bullwinkle would be the biggest paycheck film..What about Alec Baldwin in Thomas the Train? Or Schwarzenneger in Jingle All the Way?
Feb 8th, 2007
Calviin
I’ve only seen 12 of those movies listed.
I can’t figure if that is good or not…
25. Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again - I forget it.
22. Marlon Brando in Superman - I think they use this because of the related monetary controversy.
19. Elizabeth Taylor in The Flintstones - Another movie brought to you by the, “We’ll trade your money for ripped-off Nostalgia” Foundation.
14. Richard Pryor in Superman III - Superman movies get to be here twice…
13. Faye Dunaway in Supergirl - Along with Supergirl.
12. William Hurt in Lost in Space - See the Foundation mentioned in 19.
11. Laurence Olivier in Clash of the Titans - I agree with John, Blasphemy!
10. Demi Moore in Striptease - I don’t remember much about it.
9. Michael Caine in Jaws: The Revenge - Best trivia from IMDB: When Michael Caine was asked about this movie in an interview, he answered, “I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific.”
8. Judi Dench in The Chronicles of Riddick - I prefer Pitch Black.
7. Orson Welles in Transformers: The Movie - I never settled up with this movie and what it did to my favorite characters.
5. Dennis Hopper in Super Mario Bros. - DON’T even get me STARTED.
Feb 8th, 2007
Marla Singer
Halle Barry -Catwoman
Sharron Stone - Basic Instinct 2
keira knightley - Domino
jude law - alfie
gotta go back to work now
Feb 8th, 2007
Kristina
Basically all the great actors from 20 years ago are now reduced to whoring themselves out in shit movies, save for Streep and Nicholson. It’s sad, truth be told. Walken and DeNiro are the chief offenders.
Feb 8th, 2007
Koko
How do you spell Pacino??? Come on John, please tell me that when you wrote Pachino, you hit a wrong button on the keyboard mate.
Also, where the hell is Sean Connery in Robin Hood: Price of Thieves??
Feb 8th, 2007
schreibvieh
Nicolas Cage - Windtalkers. But I fear he didnt do it for the money….
Feb 8th, 2007
JOE
Martin Lawrence in Big Mamas House 2
Feb 8th, 2007
alfie
people act like like garfield was something new for murray…like it was weird to see him in a stinker..he has made tons of stinkers…..
that fucking elephant film larger than life for one…it is actually worse than garfield and so was that stupid pills fighting the flu or whatever the fuck it was..osmisis jones??
the man who knew too little is generallyt considered to be another one of his turkeys (although i think it is one of his best….absolutely love it)
I don’t know why garfield gets pointed out as being a blight on his career .. he has done loads of paycheck films….at least in garfield he didn’t have to show up and show his face!
Feb 8th, 2007
CW1985
Arnold as Mr. Freeze? Is this just too incredibly obvious to mention?
Sharon Stone in Catwoman
Hillary Swank in the Core
Feb 8th, 2007
B.I.T.H.
Meh I like The Chronicles of Riddick and Paycheck, both are good popcorn sci-fi IMO
Feb 8th, 2007
Jay
Sean Connery in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Feb 8th, 2007
Vince
Just as long as you all aren’t too harsh on these actors/actresses its cool. Remember that acting is their profession and they got bills to pay. Either that or maybe its to work with people that they like or have worked with in the past.
As for the people talking about great actors not on top of their game, You guys should know that Hollywood has always celebrated youth and the older actors get, the more difficult it is to even find a great role for them out there.
I’d actually like to of seen a top 25 list of your own John in response to EW’s list. We’ve seen you go out of your way to make top 10 best/worst movies. I for one, would respect your opinions and not a magazine publication that loved Epic Movie.
Feb 8th, 2007
Mr Stay Puft
Affleck better grab the money while everyone still thinks he has talent and box office appeal. Paycheck was terrible because Affleck is terrible. In everything he has ever been in! I just can’t figure out why he still gets work. I’ve never liked a movie that he’s been in with the exception of “Shakespeare in Love” and he wasn’t good in it. His name means stay away.
Feb 8th, 2007
shane razey
Andrew -
I like Al p. in S1mone also. I thought I was alone in thinking this.
Feb 8th, 2007
Doug F.
Chris Tucker- Rush hour 3. Nuff’said
Feb 8th, 2007
Gavin Bollard
I’d agree with most of the list, though Paycheck, Riddick, Superman especially don’t deserve to be here - after all, this is about actors appearing in films which are “beneath them” just for the money.
Also - on Paycheck, it’s one of the best things Ben Affleck has done since he flushed his career.
How about…
Sean Connery in Highlander II (He was supposed to be dead already!!!)
Kurt Russell in Escape from LA
Steve Martin in the Pink Panther
Mark “Remake” Wahlberg in Planet of the Apes
Feb 8th, 2007
DarkKinger
How dare they mock Superman: The Movie and Transforers! I’m a bit surprised they didn’t add Christopher Revee in Superman IV; those bastards tried to kill Superman!
Feb 8th, 2007
Mr Stay Puft
Good catch Gavin - Connery in Highlander II should have been number one since it is the single worst film ever made.
Feb 8th, 2007
darren j seeley
“Sean Connery in Robin Hood: Price of Thieves??”
Counted as a cameo.
Connery in “Highlander 2″? Oh, yes. Chris Lambert, too.
Feb 8th, 2007
ghost rider sideshow collectibles
dennis hopper in waterworld
and since the “breaking news”
nicholas cage and peter fonda in ghost rider
Feb 8th, 2007
alfie
this isn’t a list of worst roles or films remember..it is the most shameless money grabs..people doing films purely for money and nothing else.
brando didn’t learn his lines and didn’t give a shit about the film and he got millions and millions for his 7 -8 minutes of screentime.he also aksed if he could play the chartacter as a handbag or soemthing bizarre like that. it was purely a role he did for the cash.
so to say anything harrison ford has done since air force one is a shameless money grab is wrong. he has made terrible choices but what lies beneath, the widowmaker are not shameless money grabs..they are just bad films….they are not rocky and bullwinkle embarrassingly bad and i don’t thinkl he did either of them for the money only…air force one is fucking terrible as it is……hollywood homicide would count
Feb 8th, 2007
alfie
thats why orson welles in transformers is a shameless money grab. do you think he did that for anything other than the money?? of course not..it was a decision placed purely on money…..even if he had lived to see it i don’t think he would have even watched the thing…
Feb 8th, 2007
Alex
I agree that Sean Connery in Highlander 2 should be in there. He, like Michael Caine, admitted he did it to pay for a house.
Feb 8th, 2007
todd whitman
Dennis Hopper in “Meet the Deedles”
Feb 9th, 2007
Gordon Shumway
Roger Moore in Spiceworld? That was a shocker. Have to agree there on Richard Pryor, although he admitted he did it for the money in his biography and said he hates the film so I dont mind. Freebasing is expensive after all.
Feb 9th, 2007
Ross
Robert De Niro - Hide & Seek (The best actor of all time acting in this tripe)
Nicolas Cage - The Wicker Man (It pained me to see my second favourite actor in one of THE worst films ever made)
Kevin Costner - The Guardian (A professional in an amateurs role)
Charlize Theron - Aeon Flux (A two time award-winning actress taking THIS role?!)
Chow-Yun Fat - Bulletproof Monk (A pretty fun movie but the acting was awful. Shame on him…)
Robin Williams - The Night Listener (Tried to follow his path of serious film ie. One Hour Photo, Insomnia, but this was very dissapointing)
Feb 9th, 2007
Ted Kord Lives
How about Kevin Spacey in Surman Returns
Feb 9th, 2007
Kurt
Halle Berry’s breasts in SWORDFISH, I believe they made $50,000 or something.
Feb 9th, 2007
K
I dunno… I didn’t think Jason Alexander’s role in Shallow Hall was a “money grab.”
Feb 10th, 2007
I-luv-pie
Samuel L jackson in Deep Blue Sea >> BLASPHEMY
Feb 15th, 2007
Stephanie
You guys clearly aren’t parents of a train-loving preschooler or you would know the hands- down winner- Peter Fonda in Thomas and The Magic Railroad. Alec Baldwin was that turkey too, but he managed to put across his lines with some professionalism, while Fonda just sat there, watching the clock.
Feb 27th, 2007
S. A.
Ben Affleck needs to be shot in both knee caps for the tremendous amount of crap he has suffered upon movie goers.
Mar 1st, 2007
The Beast
What about Samuel L. Jackson in Star Wars?
Mar 5th, 2007
Ash1138
Samuel L Jackson would have done the Star Wars films for free. He practically begged George Lucas to be in those films. His role in those films are the exact opposite of a money grab.
I have to agree that Arnold as Mr. Freeze has to be up there among the top money grabs of all time.
And I agree with John. Mentioning the Transformers: The Movie is blasphemy and shows just how mindlessly mainstream Entertainment Weekly is as well as just how much they don’t get “it.” Transformers: The Movie is such an under rated film. Granted it’s dated and a bit childish but the film has integrity. The filmmakers really stuck true with the license and the filmmakers really tried to make the best film they could, and I still bet it’s better than whatever Michael Bay hacks out.
Mar 30th, 2007
Andreas Frid
You are so true in every choice you make. What an awful movie bullwinkle was. But man! I do like “The Last Castle” Redford was great in that movie. But you had it outside the actual list to it is all right.
Apr 26th, 2007
FilmNerdJamie
I agree with Brando being included on the list. In fact, he should have been #1 in my opinion! For the record, Brando was great as Jor-El and SUPERMAN is a excellent film. The reason I’d rank it (and why I think EW did as well) is b/c Brando had signed on to SUPERMAN as far back as when Guy Hamiliton was supposed to direct (i.e. back when it was going to be a God-awful camp-fest!)
Brando did SUPERMAN & SUPERMAN II 100% for the money (who can blame the guy?!?) The fact that it turned out to be a great film was b/c Richard Donner replaced Hamiliton and brought Tom Mankiewicz to write the script(s).
Jun 5th, 2007
Dragonslayer
Hey, Jeremy Irons was briliant in Eragon!
And I’d like to add one: Brian Cox in Troy. While I like the movie, the worst actor awards go to Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger, and sadly, Brian Cox, which is a downright shame.
Jul 5th, 2008
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