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New York - Director James Cameron cashed in on the worldwide box office success of Avatar to become the top Hollywood movie earner of 2010, easily outdistancing actor Johnny Depp in second place.
Cameron earned an estimated $257m last year for writing, producing and directing his 3D hit Avatar, based on its worldwide 2010 box-office gross of $1.95bn, as well as his share of DVD and pay-television sales, according to a Vanity Fair survey released on Wednesday of the top 40 Hollywood earners in 2010.
The 56-year-old director easily beat actor Johnny Depp, who scored the no 2 spot earning $100m after collecting paychecks from several 2010 films including Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist, as well as up front payments for the next Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which is due for release in May.
The Vanity Fair list only included creative professionals - producers, writers, actors - and the money they earn from film. It did not include earnings from non-movie related projects, such as advertisements or television show earnings.
Large bonuses
Steven Spielberg earned $80m for Universal theme-park royalties, as well as consulting fees and for directing and producing the upcoming War Horse, edging out Inception director Christopher Nolan who brought in $71.5m.
Inception star Leonardo DiCaprio, who earned $62m, took the no 5 spot.
In sixth place was Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton, who earned $53m, $3m more than actor Adam Sandler, who brought in most of his revenue in the past year for up-front fees for producing and starring in future movies Jack and Jill and Just Go With It.
Vanity Fair concluded that while nine-figure windfalls such as that of Cameron or Depp are rare, "Hollywood's post-financial crash aversion to $20m paydays and gross-percentage box office deals seems to be easing".
As evidence, the article's author, Peter Newcomb, pointed to "mid-range star" Vince Vaughn's $17.5m fee for The Dilemma, and to large bonuses handed out for box office hits.
Cameron earned an estimated $257m last year for writing, producing and directing his 3D hit Avatar, based on its worldwide 2010 box-office gross of $1.95bn, as well as his share of DVD and pay-television sales, according to a Vanity Fair survey released on Wednesday of the top 40 Hollywood earners in 2010.
The 56-year-old director easily beat actor Johnny Depp, who scored the no 2 spot earning $100m after collecting paychecks from several 2010 films including Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist, as well as up front payments for the next Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which is due for release in May.
The Vanity Fair list only included creative professionals - producers, writers, actors - and the money they earn from film. It did not include earnings from non-movie related projects, such as advertisements or television show earnings.
Large bonuses
Steven Spielberg earned $80m for Universal theme-park royalties, as well as consulting fees and for directing and producing the upcoming War Horse, edging out Inception director Christopher Nolan who brought in $71.5m.
Inception star Leonardo DiCaprio, who earned $62m, took the no 5 spot.
In sixth place was Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton, who earned $53m, $3m more than actor Adam Sandler, who brought in most of his revenue in the past year for up-front fees for producing and starring in future movies Jack and Jill and Just Go With It.
Vanity Fair concluded that while nine-figure windfalls such as that of Cameron or Depp are rare, "Hollywood's post-financial crash aversion to $20m paydays and gross-percentage box office deals seems to be easing".
As evidence, the article's author, Peter Newcomb, pointed to "mid-range star" Vince Vaughn's $17.5m fee for The Dilemma, and to large bonuses handed out for box office hits.
