Sebastian Stan said his career was 'saved' by $65,000 'Hot Tub Time Machine' residuals before joining Marvel
Sebastian Stan said a check from "Hot Tub Time Machine" kept his career afloat before joining Marvel.
Stan played Blaine, a ski patrol bully, in the 2010 science-fiction comedy.
Shortly after, he landed his long-standing role as Bucky Barnes in the "Captain America" franchise.
Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes, or the Winter Solider, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe told Vanity Fair a $65,000 in residuals from the "Hot Tub Time Machine" saved his career in the late 2000s.
Stan played Bucky Barnes in "Captain America: The First Avenger" which premiered in 2011. Since first being cast, Stan has featured in nine Marvel movies over the last 14 years.
The "Captain America" franchise has been a hugely lucrative corner of the MCU, and the four movies have collectively earned $2.65 billion at the box office, per The Numbers.
Stan has also garnered critics' attention recently for his work in independent projects. He won a Golden Globe for his performance in 2024 in "A Different Man" and was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Donald Trump in "The Apprentice" earlier this year.
However in a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Stan said in 2010 he was "actually struggling with work" before landing his Marvel role.
"I had just gotten off the phone with my business manager, who told me I was saved by $65,000 that came in residuals from 'Hot Tub Time Machine,'" Stan recalled.
Stan played a ski patrol bully in the 2010 science-fiction comedy that followed four friends transported back in time by a ski resort hot tub — a supporting role that provided him with much needed income.
"Hot Tub Time Machine" was moderately successful, earning $64 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, and gaining a 64% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Although those numbers are pale in comparison to the billions that Stan's Marvel movies have made, it shows that sometimes the smaller projects can be important in other ways for actors.
Residual checks are given to actors in various circumstances, such as when the project is released on DVD or Blu-Ray, when movies or TV shows are syndicated by TV channels, or when they are added to a streaming service.
Clearly, for actors like Stan, residuals can often be a lifeline during quieter portions of their career.
It's unclear how much Stan has earned for his continuing role as the Winter Solider in the MCU. Back in 2014, he told Newsarama (via The Hollywood Reporter) that he had signed a 9-movie deal with the studio.
Marvel actors who sign multi-movie deals often come with a 7-figure price tag. However, the longer actors stay in the MCU, their salaries increase, and they have more leverage for contingent compensation — a percent of a film's profit.
The Marvel star is not the only actor who has lived paycheck-to-paycheck before making it big. Most recently, "Star Wars" lead John Boyega said he only had $60 left before being cast in the sequel trilogy.
In 2024, Glen Powell also said he nearly went broke waiting for "Top Gun: Maverick" to release during the pandemic.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
2 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Is ‘Black Snow' returning for season 3? Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on June 22, 2025, 19:07 IST Fans of the Australian crime series Black Snow are eager to know if a third season is on the way. After Season 2's gripping finale in May 2025, questions about renewal, cast, plot, and release dates are swirling. Here's a rundown of everything we've gathered about the future of Black Snow . Has Black Snow Been Renewed for Season 3? As of right now—June 22, 2025—there's no official word on Black Snow Season 3. Stan, AMC+, and BBC, the main platforms behind the show, haven't said 'yay' or 'nay' yet. Season 2 kicked off on Stan in Australia on January 1, 2025, and wrapped up on AMC+ in the U.S. by May 22. Sites like JustJared and mention that the networks are still crunching numbers to see how Season 2 did with viewers. The show's got a pretty loyal crowd, though, and it's sitting at a sweet 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. That's gotta count for something, right? Still, we might be stuck twiddling our thumbs for a bit—maybe a few months—before we hear anything solid. Networks can be slow like that. When Could Season 3 Premiere? Without a green light, it's tough to pin down a release date, but we can look at past patterns. If we look at the show's history, there's a pattern. Season 1 dropped on January 1, 2023, and Season 2 came exactly two years later on January 1, 2025, in Australia. Filming for Season 2 happened from mid-2024 to late November, so they needed about six months to shoot, plus some time for editing and all that jazz. If Stan gives the green light soon, I'd bet filming could start around mid-2026. That points to a possible January 2027 premiere on Stan, with AMC+ and BBC maybe airing it around April or May 2027. But, you know, if the renewal drags out, we could be looking at later in 2027. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
CNN
3 hours ago
- CNN
Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters
The movie industry hasn't caught many breaks in recent years, even after rebounding from the Covid-19 pandemic. Studios were faced with a writers' strike, blockbusters that fell well below expectations and dilemmas over when to release movies into theaters before having them stream online. The domestic box office continued a trend of getting the year off to a slow start, as January lacked a strong carryover movie from the holiday season or a surprise audience pleaser, renewing fears the industry faces long-term financial woes. The box office for January 1 to April 3 was down 13% compared to the same time last year, which in turn was down 7.6% compared with 2023. 'It's not like a hard-and-fast rule that the first three months are typically slow. Sometimes they can be huge if you have a big holdover movie and a couple of breakout hits,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore. The first major release of 2025 was Marvel's 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which opened in February to more than $100 million over the four-day Presidents Day holiday weekend, only to see its earnings plunge 68% in the second week. Things didn't improve much from there. In March, the box office was down nearly 50% compared with the same month last year, according to Comscore data. Ticket sales certainly weren't buoyed by Disney's 'Snow White,' which opened to a meager $43 million amid polarizing reactions about casting and politics. But then came the turnaround. April brought a wide variety of movies that drew in nostalgic audiences and moviegoers following positive buzz. Carrying much of the load for the month was Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio's 'A Minecraft Movie' debuted to nearly $163 million, while Ryan Coogler's highly acclaimed 'Sinners' has exceeded expectations with over $275 million in domestic sales. Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN. Following the strong performance from 'Minecraft,' the industry had a record Memorial Day weekend that saw the box office up 22% compared with 2024. It was led by Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' remake opening to a record $183 million. 'Lilo & Stitch' has so far grossed over $380 million domestically and may soon overtake 'Minecraft' ($423.9 million) as this year's biggest earner. Other May winners include the big-budget Disney/Marvel movie 'Thunderbolts' ($189 million), Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' ($173 million) and Warner Bros.' 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' ($133 million). The momentum has carried over into June with 'How to Train Your Dragon.' Universal's live-action remake has already grossed nearly $135 million since opening last weekend. The overall box office is closing in on $4 billion for all of 2025 — an 18% gain compared to this time last year, according to Comscore data. 2023 marked the first post-pandemic year to earn more than $4 billion between the first Friday of May and Labor Day, according to Comscore. Greg Durkin, founder of entertainment research firm Enact Insights, attributes the industry's comeback to a rise in quality films. And high-potential movies are about to be released. Warner Bros. Pictures' 'F1' and Universal Pictures' 'M3GAN 2.0' are set to open Friday. July will include Universal Pictures' 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' and Warner Bros.' 'Superman,' which Durkin said will be 'tremendous' hits at the box office. He added that Disney's July release of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' will also do well. ''Superman' and 'Fantastic Four' and maybe to a degree 'Jurassic World,' will be big players' to nearly reach $4 billion this summer, said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory. 'We're not selling Frosted Flakes or Coca-Cola … This is a product that reinvents itself every week,' said Daniel Loria, editorial director at Boxoffice Pro. Movies have 'fortunately' connected better with audiences, but it's still a 'risky business,' Loria added. Having a diverse movie slate can be helpful. Since April, moviegoers have had the choice of children and family movies ('How to Train Your Dragon' and 'Lilo & Stitch'), action flicks ('Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning'), horror ('Sinners') and romantic comedies ('Materialists'). 'The lineup goes on hot and cold streaks. Something can look good on paper but not work in release, and vice versa,' said box office analyst David A. Gross, who publishes FranchiseRe. Gross noted that even superhero movies, such as 'Captain America' and 'Thunderbolts,' haven't consistently performed well compared to pre-pandemic years. And while April and May helped this year's box office bounce back from a slow start, June will be down about 6.5% compared to last year and down almost 26% compared with the pre-pandemic average, according to estimates from Gross. 'The 'recovery' compared with last year is slipping, so it's not time to pop the champagne just yet,' Gross said. In times of broader political and economic uncertainty, Americans have shown they will pull away from expensive commitments and seek smaller pleasures. For some, that means trading in vacations and indulging in less expensive purchases. 'It's pretty cheap to go to a movie, relative to going to rent a house and get on a flight, or rent a car,' said Durkin. 'You still need that escapism.' The movie theater is a social experience, Durkin said, which makes it fulfilling and worthwhile. In Clarksdale, Mississippi — the town which inspired the setting of 'Sinners' — a special screening was hosted to allow locals in the theater-less town to watch the film together. Moviegoers are still 'price sensitive,' Loria said. Although premium offerings can price a single ticket as high as $25 in cities like New York and Los Angeles, theater chains such as AMC offer discount screenings on Tuesdays. On July 9, AMC will start offering 50% discounts on Wednesdays. 'It's a relatively inexpensive way to escape the outside world for a couple of hours,' said Dergarabedian, adding that PG-rated films have been 'booming' as families head to theaters. 'Looking at 2025 in a vacuum — what a great recovery,' he said. 'It's all product-based. It's the movies that determine the box office, not the month.'
CNN
3 hours ago
- CNN
Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters
The movie industry hasn't caught many breaks in recent years, even after rebounding from the Covid-19 pandemic. Studios were faced with a writers' strike, blockbusters that fell well below expectations and dilemmas over when to release movies into theaters before having them stream online. The domestic box office continued a trend of getting the year off to a slow start, as January lacked a strong carryover movie from the holiday season or a surprise audience pleaser, renewing fears the industry faces long-term financial woes. The box office for January 1 to April 3 was down 13% compared to the same time last year, which in turn was down 7.6% compared with 2023. 'It's not like a hard-and-fast rule that the first three months are typically slow. Sometimes they can be huge if you have a big holdover movie and a couple of breakout hits,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore. The first major release of 2025 was Marvel's 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which opened in February to more than $100 million over the four-day Presidents Day holiday weekend, only to see its earnings plunge 68% in the second week. Things didn't improve much from there. In March, the box office was down nearly 50% compared with the same month last year, according to Comscore data. Ticket sales certainly weren't buoyed by Disney's 'Snow White,' which opened to a meager $43 million amid polarizing reactions about casting and politics. But then came the turnaround. April brought a wide variety of movies that drew in nostalgic audiences and moviegoers following positive buzz. Carrying much of the load for the month was Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio's 'A Minecraft Movie' debuted to nearly $163 million, while Ryan Coogler's highly acclaimed 'Sinners' has exceeded expectations with over $275 million in domestic sales. Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN. Following the strong performance from 'Minecraft,' the industry had a record Memorial Day weekend that saw the box office up 22% compared with 2024. It was led by Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' remake opening to a record $183 million. 'Lilo & Stitch' has so far grossed over $380 million domestically and may soon overtake 'Minecraft' ($423.9 million) as this year's biggest earner. Other May winners include the big-budget Disney/Marvel movie 'Thunderbolts' ($189 million), Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' ($173 million) and Warner Bros.' 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' ($133 million). The momentum has carried over into June with 'How to Train Your Dragon.' Universal's live-action remake has already grossed nearly $135 million since opening last weekend. The overall box office is closing in on $4 billion for all of 2025 — an 18% gain compared to this time last year, according to Comscore data. 2023 marked the first post-pandemic year to earn more than $4 billion between the first Friday of May and Labor Day, according to Comscore. Greg Durkin, founder of entertainment research firm Enact Insights, attributes the industry's comeback to a rise in quality films. And high-potential movies are about to be released. Warner Bros. Pictures' 'F1' and Universal Pictures' 'M3GAN 2.0' are set to open Friday. July will include Universal Pictures' 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' and Warner Bros.' 'Superman,' which Durkin said will be 'tremendous' hits at the box office. He added that Disney's July release of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' will also do well. ''Superman' and 'Fantastic Four' and maybe to a degree 'Jurassic World,' will be big players' to nearly reach $4 billion this summer, said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory. 'We're not selling Frosted Flakes or Coca-Cola … This is a product that reinvents itself every week,' said Daniel Loria, editorial director at Boxoffice Pro. Movies have 'fortunately' connected better with audiences, but it's still a 'risky business,' Loria added. Having a diverse movie slate can be helpful. Since April, moviegoers have had the choice of children and family movies ('How to Train Your Dragon' and 'Lilo & Stitch'), action flicks ('Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning'), horror ('Sinners') and romantic comedies ('Materialists'). 'The lineup goes on hot and cold streaks. Something can look good on paper but not work in release, and vice versa,' said box office analyst David A. Gross, who publishes FranchiseRe. Gross noted that even superhero movies, such as 'Captain America' and 'Thunderbolts,' haven't consistently performed well compared to pre-pandemic years. And while April and May helped this year's box office bounce back from a slow start, June will be down about 6.5% compared to last year and down almost 26% compared with the pre-pandemic average, according to estimates from Gross. 'The 'recovery' compared with last year is slipping, so it's not time to pop the champagne just yet,' Gross said. In times of broader political and economic uncertainty, Americans have shown they will pull away from expensive commitments and seek smaller pleasures. For some, that means trading in vacations and indulging in less expensive purchases. 'It's pretty cheap to go to a movie, relative to going to rent a house and get on a flight, or rent a car,' said Durkin. 'You still need that escapism.' The movie theater is a social experience, Durkin said, which makes it fulfilling and worthwhile. In Clarksdale, Mississippi — the town which inspired the setting of 'Sinners' — a special screening was hosted to allow locals in the theater-less town to watch the film together. Moviegoers are still 'price sensitive,' Loria said. Although premium offerings can price a single ticket as high as $25 in cities like New York and Los Angeles, theater chains such as AMC offer discount screenings on Tuesdays. On July 9, AMC will start offering 50% discounts on Wednesdays. 'It's a relatively inexpensive way to escape the outside world for a couple of hours,' said Dergarabedian, adding that PG-rated films have been 'booming' as families head to theaters. 'Looking at 2025 in a vacuum — what a great recovery,' he said. 'It's all product-based. It's the movies that determine the box office, not the month.'
