Adam Sandler’s Netflix hits make him Hollywood’s best-paid actor, Forbes says

Adam Sandler may not be up for any Oscars this weekend for Netflix’s Murder Mystery 2 – but he can console himself with the fact that the rom-com-thriller sequel helped make him the best-paid actor in Hollywood last year, according to Forbes magazine.

Sandler’s success on Netflix, appearing in and producing three films for the streamer in 2023, contributed to his $73m (£57m) earnings, Forbes said.

That put him above Barbie star Margot Robbie, who at 33 is the youngest person in the top 10 by a decade.

She was also a producer on Barbie, which was the biggest box office hit of 2023, and cult hit Saltburn.

Tom Cruise is third on the Forbes list, with Robbie’s Barbie co-star Ryan Gosling joint fourth with Matt Damon, and Sandler’s Murder Mystery castmate Jennifer Aniston in sixth.

Sandler and Aniston play hapless husband-and-wife private detectives in the enjoyably throwaway film series.

Murder Mystery 2 was Netflix’s fifth most-watched film of last year, with 173 million hours viewed.

The film was never likely to trouble the Oscars voters and was panned by some critics – with The Observer calling it a “crass comedy caper” and CNN saying the best thing about it “is that it’s mercifully short”.

Other reviewers were pleasantly surprised, however. The Los Angeles Times admitted its stars “are better than they need to be”, while Vulture demanded to know: “How dare Murder Mystery 2 be any good?”

Last year, Sandler’s lucrative relationship with Netflix also saw him write, produce and voice animation Leo; and appear in and produce comedy You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.

This year, he has already starred in sci-fi drama Spaceman – also for Netflix.

“There’s no such thing as too much Sandler,” the company said when renewing his deal following the success of 2019’s original Murder Mystery.

His earnings were boosted by 44 stand-up comedy dates last year, Forbes reported.

It is the first time Sandler has topped the magazine’s list since 2002.

Tyler Perry was best-paid in 2022, with Dwayne Johnson on top for the three years before that. But neither star is in the latest top 10.

The Forbes top 10 Hollywood earners 2023:

• 1. Adam Sandler – $73m (£57m)
• 2. Margot Robbie – $59m (£46m)
• 3. Tom Cruise – $45m (£35m)
• =4. Ryan Gosling – $43m (£34m)
• =4. Matt Damon – $43m
• 6. Jennifer Aniston – $42m (£33m)
• =7. Leonardo DiCaprio – $41m (£32m)
• =7. Jason Statham – $41m
• 9. Ben Affleck – $38m (£30m)
• 10. Denzel Washington – $24m (£19m)