Hollywood Truth Bomb: James McAvoy Confesses 'Split' Alone Keeps Him Afloat Financially!
James McAvoy has revealed that M. Night Shyamalan's 2016 hit film "Split" is the only movie consistently generating residuals for him, a stark contrast to his other major roles. The actor detailed the film's incredible financial success, which quickly turned a profit and led to immediate residual payments. McAvoy also praised Shyamalan's highly prepared and efficient directing style, crucial for making successful films on modest budgets.
Actor James McAvoy, known for his roles in critically acclaimed films such as “Speak No Evil,” “Atonement,” and “X-Men: First Class,” recently disclosed a surprising financial reality of his career: the only film from which he consistently receives residuals is M. Night Shyamalan’s 2016 horror thriller “Split.” McAvoy shared this revelation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, noting that while he occasionally gets small checks for a few hundred pounds or even as little as 25 cents from other projects, “Split” stands out as the sole consistent income generator.
McAvoy elaborated on the remarkable financial success of “Split,” stating, “I think it was made for like $6 million or something like that? And let’s say they spent 30 advertising it. In our first weekend, we made 40, so we were in profit.” He further highlighted the unprecedented nature of its earnings, adding, “Our first residual check came at the end of the first weekend. It was bonkers.”
“Split” captivated audiences with its chilling premise: three girls are kidnapped by a man with a diagnosed 23 distinct personalities, with the looming threat of a frightening 24th personality emerging. McAvoy masterfully portrayed the complex character, starring alongside Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula. The film, produced on a modest budget of just $6 million, went on to achieve significant box office success, grossing $138.29 million domestically and $140.16 million internationally, for a staggering worldwide total of $278.45 million.
Beyond the financial aspects, McAvoy also spoke about his experience working with director M. Night Shyamalan. He expressed admiration for Shyamalan’s meticulous approach, stating, “The thing I took away from him is his preparedness.” McAvoy observed that Shyamalan made “Split,” and its sequel “Glass,” on incredibly modest budgets. He attributed this efficiency to Shyamalan’s focus on maximizing each day, optimizing shots, and extracting the most from the story through exceptional preparation and clear communication with the crew.