Will Ferrell
The former
Saturday Night Live star built up to a big payday with a series of successful films, like
Elf and
Talladega Nights. But a big payday puts a star at risk when it comes to return on investment: His movies have to be home runs. So
Land of the Lost, which cost an estimated $100 million to make and earned only $69 million, really hurt the star. For every $1 Ferrell was paid, his films earned an average $3.35.
Eddie Murphy
Murphy was once a sure bet in family-friendly comedies like
Dr. Dolittle and
Daddy Day Care. He's still a sure bet in animated films like
Shrek, but thanks to two big flops (
Imagine That and
Meet Dave) he's become box office poison when it comes to live action films. For every $1 Murphy gets paid, his films earn an average $4.45.
Denzel Washington
Later this month the leading man will star in the film
Unstoppable, a prototypical Washington flick. It is directed by Tony Scott, who has partnered with Washington five times before, and features the actor as an everyman hero--on a runaway train. Here's hoping it helps his return-on-investment number. For every $1 Washington earned, his films returned an average $5.10.
Seth Rogen
The funny man got hit by a movie called (ironically)
Funny People. The Judd Apatow-produced film cost $75 million to make and earned only $71 million at the box office. His upcoming superhero movie,
The Green Hornet, doesn't look like it will improve his standing much. It was moved from Christmas to an inauspicious January release date. For every $1 Rogen was paid, his movies earned $6.75.
Tom Cruise
Cruise was once the biggest movie star in the world. Now he seems in constant search of a comeback.
Valkyrie didn't do it, despite a respectable $200 million take at the global box office.
Knight & Day with Cameron Diaz (which hit theaters after our deadline for consideration) also failed to make an impact. Now Cruise fans are focused on the upcoming fourth installment of his successful
Mission: Impossible series. For every $1 Cruise was paid, his films earned an average $7.20.
Drew Barrymore
Barrymore has struggled at the box office lately. Films like
Lucky You and
Everybody's Fine have underperformed. Her latest romantic comedy,
Going the Distance, did a bit better, earning $42 million at the box office on a budget of $32 million. That movie came out after our deadline, but it's unlikely to help her return on investment number much. For every $1 Barrymore was paid, her films earned an average $7.45.
Matt Damon
When he appears in the
Bourne films Damon is a fantastic return on investment. Outside of those movies, not so much.
Green Zone,
Invictus and
The Informant all underperformed. Unfortunately for Damon, it looks like he's not going to appear in the next Bourne film. Until he has another big hit, for every $1 Damon gets paid, his films earn an average $8.30.
Vince Vaughn
The actor had a big hit with
Four Christmases, but it was overshadowed by
Fred Claus, which earned only $98 million at the global box office. Vaughn continues to stay in his comedic comfort zone with his upcoming Ron Howard film
The Dilemma, which has come under fire for using a gay joke in the trailer. For every $1 Vaughn was paid, his films earned $8.35.
Adam Sandler
Sandler had a huge hit with the movie
Grown Ups. It was his highest grossing movie ever at the global box office with $270 million in ticket sales. But that movie came out after our deadline. For the sake of this list, Sandler's average was weighed down by the film
Funny People, which grossed only $71 million. For every $1 Sandler was paid, his films earned an average $8.45.
Jim Carrey
Carrey's last movie,
Yes Man, was a bona fide hit. Unfortunately the two other films we counted for this list,
The Number 23 and
Fun With Dick & Jane, were not. Carrey is taking a huge chance with his next film,
I Love You Phillip Morris, in which he plays a gay con artist who gets thrown in jail. For every $1 Carrey was paid, his films earned $8.60.
