Mark Wahlberg will earn between $16-18 million for the next Transformers movie, joining elite actors like Denzel Washington and Will Smith who command high salaries in the tens of millions. Younger stars typically make less in the low millions through multi-picture deals, though Jennifer Lawrence was able to negotiate $8+ million for The Hunger Games sequel. Wahlberg's high salary is likely due to his international box office appeal and the financial success of previous Transformers films. His payday may help negotiate future tentpole film salaries, but it remains unclear if he can continually command such earnings.

1. Getty Images
The star will earn
between $16-18
million for the next
installment of the hit
series, but will he be

2. able to command
such a high salary for
future projects?
Mark Wahlbergis entering an elite Hollywood club
with his paycheck for the next Transformersfilm –
which will see him earn in the $16 million to $18
million range.
With next summer's Transformers: Ageof Extinction,
Wahlberg will be joining the likes of Denzel
Washington, WillSmith and Adam Sandler in the
group of tried-and-truebox office champs who
command salaries in the doubledigit millions.
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While younger stars such as Benedict
Cumberbatch, JenniferLawrence,
and Chris Hemsworthnowroutinelytoplineprojects
for A-list directors, they are typically unableto bring
in the mega-salaries of olderstars such as Robert
Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp. The younger stars
are usually signing deals in the low-seven figures,
and often with contractstying them to multiple
pictures. Lawrence, however, was able to pull down
an eight-figure payday for the The HungerGames:
Catching Fire.

3. Wahlberg earned about half as much for 2 Guns as
the $20 million costar Washington brought in. His
salary bump for Transformersis likely due to his
appeal internationally, where he is a proven box
office draw. It also helps that Michael
Bay's Transformersseries is a proven international
hit. Shia LaBeoufreportedlyearned $15 million for
2011's Transformers:Dark of the Moon, which
earned $1.1 billion worldwide.
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It's unclearwhether Wahlberg's payday for the
fourth Transformersfilm will mean he'll be able to
continueto command such high earnings – but such a
payday will help his team negotiate for any future
tentpoles, especially if Age of Extinctionis in line
with previous Transformersfilms.
Perhaps Wahlberg will follow in the footsteps
of Pain and Gaincostar Dwayne Johnson,who is
able to command $15 million for action movies
thanks to three No. 1 movies in two months this
year; G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Pain and Gain and Fast
& Furious6. Johnson will draw $12 million for the
upcoming Brett Ratner-directedHercules.