Highlights
- Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet are highest-paid stars in Dune: Part Two cast at $2M and $3M respectively.
- Both actors saw massive pay increases between Dune films thanks to their rising stars.
- Both Zendaya and Chalamet are eager to return for a potential third installment in the Dune franchise.
Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet are two of the most exciting young actors of their generation. They've experienced tremendous success on film and television, and as supporting characters in blockbuster films like Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Interstellar (2014), but it was the first installment in the Dune franchise that truly solidified them as box office draws.
The 2021 epic grossed $433 million worldwide and was nominated for ten Oscars including Best Picture. The anticipation for the second installment in the franchise, Dune: Part Two, is at an all-time high, and as such, Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet secured massive paydays for their leading performances.
The following article will detail the pay raises that both actors received between Dune films, and how their salaries compare to the rest of the cast.
Zendaya And Timothee Chalamet Are Set To Make Millions For Dune: Part Two
Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet have incredibly dedicated followings, and have proven themselves to be tastemakers for younger generations of moviegoers. It should then come as no surprise that the actors were given the two biggest salaries out of the impressive ensemble cast that makes up Dune: Part Two.
According to Showbiz Galore, Zendaya is getting paid $2 million for her role as Chani Kynes, and Chalamet is getting paid $3 million for his performance as the film's hero, Paul Atriedes. These are not only impressive salaries on their own, but they are two of only three Dune: Part Two salaries that break the $1 million mark.
The cast for Dune: Part Two includes box office draws like Josh Brolin and Dave Bautista, Oscar winners like Javier Bardem and Christopher Walken, as well as rising stars like Austin Butler and Florence Pugh.
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A quick look at the salaries for Dune: Part Two confirms just how much Warner Bros. values the contributions of Zendaya and Chalamet:
Actor | Dune: Part Two Salary (According To Showbiz Galore) |
Timothee Chalamet | $3 Million |
Zendaya | $2 Million |
Dave Bautista | $1 Million |
Rebecca Ferguson | $600,000 |
Josh Brolin | $500,000 |
Florence Pugh | $300,000 |
Austin Butler | $250,000 |
These figures are predicated on multiple different factors, including star power and screen time. Bautista and Rebecca Ferguson are recognizable names, but they don't drum up the hype that Zendaya and Chalamet do. They will also appear on-screen much less than the leading couple, who will drive nearly every scene in the film.
Zendaya And Timothee Chalamet Both Received Pay Increases After The Success Of Dune: Part One
Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet were still on the rise when they were cast in the first Dune film. The former had just won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in Euphoria (2019-), and the latter was the third-youngest person to ever be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Call Me By Your Name (2017).
Still, Warner Bros. was unsure if the heady science fiction epic would do blockbuster numbers, so the salaries for both actors were lower. Chalamet was paid $2 million for his performance in the first film, according to Showbiz Galore, and Zendaya was paid the shockingly low amount of $300K.
Actor | Dune: Part One Salary | Dune: Part Two Salary (According To Showbiz Galore) |
Zendaya | $300,000 | $2 Million |
T. Chalamet | $2 Million | $3 Million |
While it may appear strange in retrospect, given how important Zendaya is to the appeal of the franchise and the plot of the second film, the decision to pay her so much less than her co-star was due to the fact that she only appeared on-screen for seven minutes in Dune: Part One.
Zendaya was only on the set of the film for four days, according to Empire, which means she was paid $75k per day. Not bad work if you can get it. Some fans were disappointed to learn that she was in such a small chunk of Dune: Part One, but Zendaya assured them that she would play a much greater role in the sequel.
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Zendaya went as far as to tell Total Film that she was the co-lead of Dune: Part Two, which makes sense given her significant bump in salary:
"[The film is] really able to build out a strong sense of [Chani’s] own views and life. I did feel a particular sense of care for what Chani represents."
Zendaya And Timothee Chalamet Have Already Agreed To Appear In A Third Dune Film
Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet are the most consequential names attached to the Dune franchise, and as such, the plan for additional films is dependent on their involvement. Given how much acclaim both actors have received for their performances, it would be an uphill battle to recast them. Fortunately, for fans, Zendaya and Chalamet are eager to return.
During a red carpet interview, Zendaya confirmed that she would be interested in reprising her character for an adaptation of the third Dune book, Dune: Messiah:
"Would we be down? I mean, of course. I’m excited to see what happens."
Chalamet was similarly excited when Total Film asked him about the future of the franchise.
"The idea excites me very much," he noted. "I think we're all super-enthusiastic about that." The possibility of a third Dune film is predicated on the success of the second film, but, as is the case with any popular franchise, more films means higher salaries for the main stars.
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Zendaya and Chalamet are already sitting pretty thanks to the sizable paydays they've gotten from Dune: Part Two. Their respective net worths have risen steadily over the last few years, which makes sense given their meteoric rise from teen stars to adult A-listers.
Name | 2019 Net Worth | 2020 Net Worth | 2024 Net Worth (Per Celebrity Net Worth) |
Zendaya | $5 Million | $15 Million | $22 Million |
T. Chalamet | $6 Million | $10 Million | $25 Million |
The possibility of an even bigger payday in the near future means that Zendaya and Chalamet will continue to rise up the ranks of Hollywood's most successful stars.
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