Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was paid $13 million more than his co-star Emily Blunt for ‘Jungle Cruise’, according to TMZ.
The pair star in Disney’s new family adventure movie – based on the popular theme park attraction of the same name – which is set for release in 2020 but Johnson has been paid more than twice Blunt’s $9 million fee.
According to TMZ, Johnson has pocketed $22 million for the flick, which also stars Jack Whitehall.
Jungle Cruise follows Johnson’s Captain Frank, who takes scientist Lily Houghton (Blunt) and her brother, played by Whitehall, into a mysterious jungle to find a tree with healing properties.
The cast also includes Edgar Ramirez, Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti, Andy Nyman, Quim Gutierrez, Veronica Falcon and Dani Rovira and the movie has been directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.
Meanwhile, Blunt, 35, is currently wowing audiences in Mary Poppins Returns and recently opened up about the circumstances surrounding her casting in the movie, admitting it was a career-changing moment.
She recalled: “It was like [director Rob Marshall] was about to propose to me! Then when he said it’s Mary Poppins, I was like, ‘Oh my God’.
“I like to imagine he got down on one knee. But Mary Poppins is a big deal for all of us – we all had to approach it with a sense of courage.
“We have waited 54 years to see her come back out of the clouds, so we very much wanted to walk that fine line between paying homage and being the next chapter and bringing the spirit of the first one.
“We had to think how we make our version our own and a stand-alone spectacle on its own, that people can watch for generations to come.”
Blunt was intent on making her version of the iconic nanny distinct from Dame Julie Andrews’ performance in 1964’s Mary Poppins.
Dick Van Dyke – who starred in the original movie – makes a cameo appearance in Mary Poppins Returns, but Andrews declined the chance to appear in the film.
Blunt explained: “I really understand why she didn’t want to be in it and it means a lot to me that she chose to not do it in the way that she did.
“She said she just didn’t want it to be her show, she wanted it to be my show, and I thought it was so gracious and so sweet and I understand that need to preserve and treasure that iconic image we all have of her. I really get that.”
