‘I Took Less Money Hoping That the Movie Would Find Amazing Success’: Kevin Hart’s Gamble on ‘Jumanji’ Sequel Paid Off, Netting Him Some $30 Million on the Back End

Sometimes actors take a risk by tying their salaries to the performance of a project. They initially take a cut in pay in hopes of a bigger payoff. This worked for Kevin Hart.

During an interview with comedian and host James Corden on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” Hart revealed what he ultimately took home for the 2019 film “Jumanji: The Next Level.”

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 23: Kevin Hart attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Me Time” at Regency Village Theatre on August 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

The sequel starred Hart, Dwayne Johnson (who co-produced the film), Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain and Madison Iseman, reprising their roles from 2017’s “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”

Hart, who earns about $25 million per film, took home $30 million for “Jumanji: The Next Level.” For the first “Jumanji” installment, Hart reportedly made just about $10 million.

Hart told Corden he received “between 25 to 30” million in a contract, based largely on how the film performed. “’I took less money hoping that the movie would find amazing success,” he said.

Hart had an inkling that “Jumanji: The Next Level” would perform well and that tying his salary to performance might pay off. The first “Jumanji” film raked in a whopping $962.5 million at the box office.

“Jumanji: The Next Level” had a production budget of $125 million and grossed $800.1 million. 

“If I had to do a rough guess…See I made backend player. It’s not about what you take up front for the movie so I took less money hoping that the movie would find amazing success because I’m a good partner. Because of the success of the movie, overall you’re probably in between 25 to 30″ million dollars,” Hart said.

He emphasized: “That is not a Kevin Hart success. That is a studio success. The good thing about being a good partner is you want your studio to be successful. So, Sony being a good partner at the time, they did an amazing job marketing and promoting, which allowed all the cast members to find success in this particular movie. It’s not just one; it’s all of our success.”

Hart has his hands in other business ventures outside of Hollywood. He is opening a fast-food chain of plant-based items called Hart House, in Los Angeles this month. In 2017, Hart launched the Laugh Out Loud Network, a subscription video streaming service in partnership with Lionsgate.

Hart current net worth is $215 million. Over the last 10 years, his net worth reportedly has grown at a pace of 250 percent.

What people are saying

13 thoughts on “‘I Took Less Money Hoping That the Movie Would Find Amazing Success’: Kevin Hart’s Gamble on ‘Jumanji’ Sequel Paid Off, Netting Him Some $30 Million on the Back End

  1. Jack says:

    The 3rd Jumanji had too much cussing and off color acting. The movie would have been ok without all that crap. I don’t understand the need for that junk. The “Next Level” was better than #3 which had very little swearing and the script and content was better. I hope #4 has better writing. Having the same cast would great.

  2. capcut says:

    Kevin Hart’s decision to take less upfront pay is a bold move that really paid off! It’s fascinating to see how his gamble on the ‘Jumanji’ sequel turned out so well for him. This shows the power of believing in a project’s potential and having the long-term vision to take risks. Kudos to Kevin for making such a strategic choice!

  3. What an inspiring story! It’s amazing to see how taking a risk can lead to such incredible rewards. Kevin Hart’s decision to take less upfront for the chance at a bigger payday really paid off in the end. It just goes to show the importance of believing in a project’s potential. Excited to see what he does next!

  4. Kevin Hart’s decision to take less upfront and bet on the film’s success is such a bold move! It’s fascinating to see how that gamble paid off big time. The Jumanji sequel truly captured audiences and it’s refreshing to see a strategy like this work out. Can’t wait to see what he does next!

  5. It’s really inspiring to see Kevin Hart take such a bold gamble for the Jumanji sequel! His willingness to prioritize the movie’s success over upfront payment clearly paid off in a big way. It’s a great reminder that sometimes taking a risk can lead to even greater rewards. Can’t wait to see what he does next!

  6. fortnite apk says:

    Incredible story! It’s really inspiring to see how Kevin Hart took a risk by accepting a lower upfront payment, but his faith in the project clearly paid off. It just goes to show that believing in your work can lead to amazing rewards! Excited to see what he does next!

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    What an inspiring story! It’s fascinating to see how taking a risk can lead to such great rewards. Kevin Hart clearly believed in the project, and it paid off in a big way. Excited to see what he tackles next!

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  9. What an inspiring story! Kevin Hart’s willingness to take a risk for the bigger picture is a testament to his belief in the project. It’s incredible how his gamble on the ‘Jumanji’ sequel not only paid off financially but also showed that sometimes betting on yourself can lead to amazing success. Can’t wait to see what he does next!

  10. BUNTY GAME says:

    What an inspiring story! Kevin Hart’s gamble really shows how believing in a project can lead to huge rewards. His decision to take less upfront money just goes to show the importance of confidence in your work. Truly motivational!

  11. What an inspiring story! It’s incredible to see how taking a risk can lead to such great rewards. Kevin Hart’s decision to trust in the project really paid off, and it shows the importance of believing in your work. Can’t wait to see what he does next!

  12. T20 Win Info says:

    It’s impressive to see how Kevin Hart took a gamble on the ‘Jumanji’ sequel and it paid off! His willingness to accept less upfront shows true confidence in the project, and the $30 million on the back end is quite the reward. This really highlights the potential for success in the entertainment industry when you believe in what you’re working on. Can’t wait to see more of his future projects!

  13. That’s so inspiring! It’s impressive to see how Kevin Hart’s gamble on taking less money upfront has paid off significantly. It really shows the power of believing in a project’s potential and the rewards that can come with taking smart risks. Can’t wait to see what he does next!

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