Matt Damon: Hollywood's Best Investment

Forbes Says Actor Has Highest Gross Income Return

(AP)  Matt Damon is Hollywood's best investment, says Forbes.com.

For every dollar he was paid for his last three roles, Damon brought in $29 of gross income, the site calculated. That put the 36-year-old "Bourne" star atop a Forbes list of 22 film heavyweights, ranked by the same financial formula.

The first two "Bourne" movies grossed an estimated $850 million at the box office and in DVD sales, Forbes said. The third installment, "The Bourne Ultimatum," opened last weekend and raked in $70.2 million at the box office. It was the biggest August film opening ever.

Brad Pitt took second place on the list with a gross income return of $24 for each dollar he was paid, and Vince Vaughn tied with Johnny Depp for third with $21.

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Photos: Bourne Ultimatum Premiere

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Pitt's ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, is the most profitable actress with a gross income return of $17. Pitt's current significant other, Angelina Jolie, ranked sixth with $15.

"The biggest stars in Hollywood are not the actors that deliver the biggest returns," Forbes senior editor Michael Ozanian said in a statement Monday.

Russell Crowe is at the bottom of the list. His last three films — "A Good Year," "Cinderella Man" and "Master and Commander" — averaged just $5 in gross income for every dollar spent on the Oscar winner, Forbes said.

Movies starring the two Toms — Hanks and Cruise — averaged $12 and $11 of gross income, respectively. Will Smith and Denzel Washington each brought in $10.

On the comedic front, Adam Sandler brought in $9 per dollar earned, Will Ferrell and Jim Carrey $8 each).

Forbes.com calculated the net revenue for a film by adding the worldwide box office and revenues from U.S. DVD and video rentals and then subtracting its budget. The net revenue was divided by the actor's total compensation to derive gross income. The average gross income of an actor's last three films produced their box-office return.

The "Ultimate Star Payback" list was posted Monday.

[misssuzq]

I saw this movie last night - excellent!

[huanaco]

I AM SICK AND TIRED TO SEE MATT DAMON COMING OUT TIME AND TIME AGAIN WITH NEW MOVIES. THIS STARVING ACTOR IS STRECHING HYMSELF VERY THIN AND HE IS LOOSING CREDIBILITY . IT USED TO BE WHEN YEARS AGO WE HAD REWALLY GOOD ACTORS , ONE OR TWO MOVIES A YEAR WERE ENOUGH FOR THEM , NOW THE STUDIOS AND GREED HAS TAKEN OVER.

[abigail531]

I am happy for the success of Matt Damon.It couldn't happen to a better or more talented young man! Except,of course, for Tom Cruise!!!

[jairod]

grgeng: you must be another one of those allah-demon loving trash talkers that couldn't put two cogent thoughts together if the jihad depended on it. may your prayer rug be soaked in pig's blood and dog urine. peace out dude,or dudette.

[grumpas]

There is no doubt Matt Damon is one of the greats in his field. It's nice to see an actor who takes pride in his craft and isn't there primping in front of the camera so the ladies can marvel at his good looks. I have saw him in numerous films and he is always excellent. So, is Tom Hanks! I hate to see him listed with the nut job! He is good in every role he takes on too!

[cricketmk3]

grgeng, your post makes no sense to me. A waste of capital letters and expletives.

Matt Damon is great! I've liked him in everything he's done. Seems like a "normal" family man with no personal issues to cram down our throats.

[drivelphobe]

These Bourne movies are the best. We are all fed up with the likes of "tomcat" and his religious BS. Matt Damon portrays a terrific new figure that should provide years of great films if the studios don't go cheap on us with condensed writing and lousy scripts. His co-stars are fresh and gorgeous in a believable way, without the Holywood "fat" lip like Jolie et al. Nice, natural bodies, not those disgusting falsies these women think look so great. They look like garbage with the fake boobs. Nothing is sexier than a natural, athletic female body, at least to a male. Enough of the scientologists and the "fake" ladies. Let's get some real people in these films and get back to the earthy beauty we had years ago. Go Matt and the qualtiy ladies.

[jacksteen1]

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD to see Tiny Tom Cruise's $cientology ********* got bumped out of the news by a wholesome, American, NORMAL man.

We are sick of the $cientologist rhetoric and propaganda...and we've had enough of it.

Let Tiny Tom and Vinnie Barbarino go screw themselves into oblivia.