DeadpoolDirector Says He Was Paid $225,000 for the 2016 Hit: 'Make More on an Episode ofThe Walking Dead'

Mar. 15, 2025

Tim Miller is shedding light on hisDeadpoolpayday.

Miller, who directed 2016’sDeadpool, the first ofRyan Reynolds' standalone franchise, said during a recent panel at CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil, according toCollider, “It’s not really a profitable thing to be a first-time director in Hollywood, and I’ll tell you exactly: I got $225,000 to directDeadpool.”

The filmmaker, who had only written and directed short films prior to 2016, added, “I know it sounds like a lot of money, but for two years of work, that’s not a ton of money. Not that I’m not grateful — I’m f—ing grateful. That’s the way it is.”

Miller’s agent, he recalled, said at the time, “Dude, you make more on an episode ofThe Walking Dead!”

Earning $782 million against a $58 million budget,Deadpoolbecame the highest-grossing film in theX-Menfranchise and highest-grossing R-rated film at the time.

Ryan Reynolds and Tim Miller on the set of ‘Deadpool’.Marvel Enterprises/Shutterstock

Marvel Enterprises/Shutterstock

Miller said he felt “nothing but pride” to have helped launch a successful franchise, with 2018’s David Leitch-directedDeadpool 2making $785 million worldwide and 2024’sShawn Levy-directedDeadpool & Wolverinemaking $1.338 billion worldwide.

The latter, serving as Deadpool’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut under distributor Disney, now holds the record for the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever.

“I feel like every time I walk down the aisles out there on the floor of CCXP and I see all these Deadpool figurines, I think they wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t made [2016’sDeadpool],” continued Miller.

“And I feel uniquely fortunate that I could be part of it. Then, my second thought is, I wish my director deals had a piece of the merchandising so that I could get some money from all of that. "

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Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.Jay Maidment/20th Century Studios

Jay Maidment/20th Century Studios

In a July interview withThe New York Times, Reynoldscommented on his own paycheckfor the 2016 franchise starter.

“When I finally got to make it, it had been almost 10 years at that point," he said. “No part of me was thinking whenDeadpoolwas finally greenlit that this would be a success.”

The star added that he “even let go of getting paid” to make the action flick, noting that when co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick weren’t allowed on set, “I took the little salary I had left and paid them to be on set with me so we could form a de facto writers' room.”

Since the success ofDeadpool, Miller has directed the 2019 action movieTerminator: Dark Fate, created the Prime Video animated anthology seriesSecret Leveland executive-produced Paramount’s hitSonic the Hedgehogfranchise. Itsthird filmis in theaters now.

source: people.com