Key Takeaways:
– The late Donald Sutherland made a costly financial error during the negotiation of his role in the blockbuster hit, Animal House.
– Instead of opting for a percentage cut of the film’s profits, Sutherland chose a fixed paycheck, missing out on an estimated $20 million.
– This financial misstep mirrors Matt Damon’s experience with Avatar, where turning down the role cost him a potential $250 million.
Donald Sutherland’s Million Dollar Error
Widely loved and respected, Donald Sutherland holds a constellation of nearly 200 roles over a career that spans over five decades. His impressive and varied repertoire includes small screen stints like Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H, big screen classics, and box office smashes like The Hunger Games series.
However, his career wasn’t always studded with perfect decisions. A slip in judgement during the negotiation of a role in the 1978 hit, Animal House, deprived him of a staggering $20 million profit share.
The Animal House Story
Animal House, directed by John Landis, boasted an ensemble cast featuring talent like John Belushi, Tim Matheson, Thomas Hulce and more. The legendary director counted Sutherland as a friend having gotten close during his time on the set of Kelly’s Heroes.
Recognizing Sutherland’s star power, the producers leaned on Landis to cast him. However, Sutherland demanded a substantial upfront payment. During talks, an offer of $20,000 for a day’s work, plus a slice of the movie’s profits was put forward. Counterintuitively, Sutherland passed on this deal. The studio then reached an agreement to pay him a daily rate of $35,000, but minus any percentage points from the movie’s profits.
Decades later, Sutherland confessed that turning down this deal was his costliest career miscalculation. He could have made at least $20 million if he had taken a profit share, given that Animal House raked in a whopping $141.6 million at the box office.
The Shadow of Matt Damon’s Financial Oversight
This fallout draws parallels to another Hollywood superstar, Matt Damon. The Bourne Ultimatum actor confessed in a CNN interview about his regret for turning down an offer to star in James Cameron’s Avatar. The decision was based on his commitments to the Bourne franchise, resulting in a missed income of a staggering $250 million. Avatar went on to generate over $2.7 billion at the box office worldwide.
Damon and his Good Will Hunting co-writer and co-star, Ben Affleck, also parted with their Oscar-winning script a little too cheaply, netting a joint sum of $600,000. After taxes and agent fees, the duo quickly found their bank balance dwindling.
Can We Learn From Their Mistakes?
The tribulations of Donald Sutherland and Matt Damon underscore an important lesson about the need to reflect, strategize, and opportunistically capitalize while making critical career decisions. Choosing an upfront payment without a slice of profits cost these two Hollywood heavyweights millions.
While Sutherland’s illustrious career carried on till his passing and Damon continues to demand a huge payout for his acting prowess, these missed opportunities serve as a cautionary tale to artists and the general public alike.
Financial prudence is often shrouded in uncertainty and requires a balance of courage, foresight and knowledge. The Animal House and Avatar stories remind us to seize opportunities when they arise and to remain open to long-term gains that might not be immediately apparent.
As followers of the entertainment industry, we can sit back and enjoy our favorite actors’ performances while savouring the captivating behind-the-scenes dramas that unfold in unpredictable ways. The story of lost fortunes is just one part of the big picture, and a potent reminder that even the brightest stars are humans who sometimes miss their chances.
Watch the classic Animal House, chalk full of memorable performances from talents like Donald Sutherland, on Netflix, and imagine what might have been.
