A new report has revealedDenzel Washington’s alleged salary for starring in streaming movies and, perhaps unsurprisingly for an actor of his caliber, it’s a hefty sum. The two-time Academy Award winner has demonstrated range and versatility throughout his storied acting career, which spans four decades and encompasses playing diverse characters across a variety of genres, with notable performances in the likes ofMalcolm X, Training Day,andGladiator II, but he has also signed on for several streaming projects in recent years.
According to Screen Rant, Puck has reported that three sources “familiar” with the situation have indicated that Washington is getting a $35 million pay packet for his role inNetflix’s newly-announced heist thrillerHere Comes the Flood,in which he will star opposite Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones. The project was announced at the streaming company’s third Upfront presentation, which is why it’s currently a hot topic of conversation. However, there has been no official comment from Washington, nor Netflix, about the salaries of its cast.
It is understood that Washington’s salary forHere Comes the Floodmatches his earnings for Spike Lee’sHighest 2 Lowest, which was is also said to be set at $35 million, suggesting that this is a standard figure that the actor receives for appearing in streaming projects, at a time when many havesmaller budgets for content production.Highest 2 Lowestis scheduled to be released theatrically by A24 on Jul 15, 2025, before being made available on Apple TV+ on Sept. 5, 2025, so there is the option to see it on the big screen before it arrives on streaming.
What Is ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ About?
Highest 2 Lowestis Washington’s most recent undertaking, following his memorable turn as Macrinus in Ridley Scott’sGladiator II, which earned him his 11th nomination at the Golden Globes. It is a co-production of A24 and Apple TV+ and marks his fifth collaboration with Lee, but his first with many members of its cast, including A$AP Rocky, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Dean Winters, and Ice Spice (in her feature film acting debut). Washington takes a lead role in the film, portraying music mogul David King, asglimpsed in the first-look image.
The official summary ofHighest 2 Loweststates: “When a titan music mogul is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma. A reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thrillerHigh and Low, now played out on the mean streets of modern-day New York City.” Thefirst trailer for the featureteased a very different take on the story, compared to the 1963 Japanese black-and-white that in itself was loosely based on the 1959 novelKing’s Ransom,with Lee opting for bold colors and cinematic choices in his version.
Highest 2 Lowestwill premiere out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival before beingreleased in theaters this summer— in the same month as several other highly anticipated titles, such asWeapons, Freakier Friday, Nobody 2,andThe Toxic Avenger.
Source:Puck(viaScreen Rant)
Denzel Washington
