Entertainment · Film · 1 hr ago
James McAvoy Says Split Still Brings Him Significant Residuals
James McAvoy says Split is the only film that consistently pays him significant residuals.
The Scottish actor discussed the 2016 psychological thriller on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Made for about $6 million, Split earned $278.5 million worldwide.
McAvoy said the film made about $40 million in its first weekend and called the resulting residual payments “bonkers.”
He says he gets little money from most of his other films, including the 2008 hit Wanted.
Residuals are payments actors can receive from a film’s continued earnings, though McAvoy said significant payments are rare and usually depend on contract terms.
Split’s success brought McAvoy unusually large ongoing payments, while he said he receives only occasional small checks from other work.
James McAvoy says the 2016 film Split is the only movie that consistently earns him significant residuals.
He said the film’s first residual check arrived at the end of its opening weekend, after it made about $40 million.
McAvoy said Split cost about $6 million to make and described the residuals as “bonkers.”
He said he rarely receives money from his other films, including 2008’s Wanted.
Split was directed by M. Night Shyamalan and earned more than $278 million worldwide, according to the sources.
- Who
- James McAvoy, the actor who starred in Split.
- What
- He said Split is the only film that consistently pays him significant residuals.
- When
- He discussed it on the Happy Sad Confused podcast in an episode published October 15, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- The film made about $40 million in its opening weekend against a reported budget of about $6 million, putting it in profit.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Split was released.
McAvoy discussed the film’s residuals on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
- Film
- Split
- Director
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Release year
- 2016
- Reported production budget
- About $6 million
- Opening weekend earnings
- About $40 million
- Worldwide box office
- More than $278 million
3 sources
What people are saying
The only one that really consistently pays me is Split
So our first residual check came at the end of the first weekend. It was bonkers
I very rarely see anything from anything