After more than a decade away from the top spot, Tom Cruise has officially reclaimed his title as the world’s highest-paid actor. Fueled by a massive payday for the final installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Cruise reportedly earned between $130 million and $150 million this year. This milestone marks his return to the pinnacle of Hollywood’s earners for the first time since 2012, when he led the rankings with a $75 million income.

Cruise’s meteoric rise unseated Dwayne Johnson, who had dominated the financial rankings five times over the previous nine years. Following Cruise in the second spot is Daniel Craig, who secured $50 million for his role in the Knives Out series. Cameron Diaz also made a significant splash as the highest-paid actress, earning $45 million for her return to the screen in Back in Action.

Superstar Rajinikanth emerged as India’s top earner, as he banked over $20 million for his role in Coolie.

Tom Cruise’s recent career has been defined by massive blockbusters. After the record-breaking success of Top Gun: Maverick (2022), he returned as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023). This year, he concluded his iconic spy saga with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025). He is known for his death-defying stunts. In Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), Tom Cruise famously bypassed stunt doubles to scale the Burj Khalifa himself. Hanging 1,700 feet (518 m) above the pavement, he performed every gravity-defying move on the exterior of the 2,722-foot (829.8 m) skyscraper.