Gasp! Actors To Receive Smaller Paychecks!

Yesterday, TMT's own Peter Georgiou reported on pink-slips being handed out at Warner Brothers.

Now according to Variety, studios all across the board are having to make cutbacks. Chief among them are the big "movie-star" paychecks being handed out to various name-actors:

Unless you’re Will Smith, Johnny Depp or a handful of others, nobody is earning their quote right now, said dealmakers. Stories of tough negotiations are widespread: Disney asked Nicolas Cage to cut his price on the next 'National Treasure' sequel, and that same studio cut loose a third 'Chronicles of Narnia' film.

Then there is comeback kid Mickey Rourke, who is poised to follow his Golden Globe-winning performance in 'The Wrestler' with an offer to play the main villain in 'Iron Man 2' — but at a lowball opening offer of $250,000 from Marvel; Marvel’s tactics have already prompted Samuel L. Jackson to swear off playing Nick Fury because of a similarly low offer.

Although this isn't exactly the best news (for some reading this!) It's also a bit reassuring that it's just not us "average folk" who are feeling the effects of our current economic predicament - which we will get through!

And to be fair, there are honestly very few actors who trully earn those $20+ million paydays - at least in my opinion.