The Jurassic World franchise was a colossal hit at the box office, with the first film in the sequel trilogy reaching $1.67 billion worldwide, according to BoxOfficeMojo. Universal Pictures was delighted to break the record for the biggest opening weekend at the box office in 2015 when they passed Marvel’s The Avengers. However, Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays Claire Dearing in the trilogy, is speaking out about her unfair pay on Jurassic World and the subsequent sequels.

In 2018, reports surfaced of their supposed pay gap, including an $8 million payday for Howard and $10 million for Chris Pratt on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Now, in an interview with Insider, Bryce Dallas Howard tells the truth of the financial drama behind the scenes of the mega-hit franchise, saying, “I was paid so much less.”

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The followups to 2015’s debut film also reached an astronomical level of success, with Fallen Kingdom making $1.3 billion and Dominion raking in $974 million thus far, against a $170 million and $165 million budget, respectively. The pay gap has long been an issue, with Kirsten Dunst speaking out against the Spider-Man franchise and Disney receiving a lawsuit. However, the problem will only be further highlighted with the Jurassic World franchise as they are huge blockbusters earning billions of dollars.

“The reports were so interesting because I was paid so much less than the reports even said, so much less. When I started negotiating for Jurassic, it was 2014, and it was a different world, and I was at a great disadvantage. And, unfortunately, you have to sign up for three movies, and so your deals are set.”

Bryce Dallas Howard is Thankful to Chris Pratt for Mending the Issue

     Universal

Despite Howard’s contract being set in stone, there were a few changes the actor and her co-lead, Chris Pratt, could make. Howard told Insider that she discussed the pay gap with Pratt, and he pushed for the duo to receive equal pay on other opportunities presented by the franchise, including video games and theme-park rides.

Some of these projects with new contracts may include games like LEGO Jurassic World, Jurassic World: The Game, and Jurassic World Evolution. In addition, Universal Studios Hollywood has several theme-park rides based on the movies, including the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal’s Island of Adventure. Despite restructuring contracts involving video games and attractions, Howard and Pratt are hoping co-stars will receive equal pay for feature films in the future.

“What I will say is that Chris and I have discussed it, and whenever there was an opportunity to move the needle on stuff that hadn’t already been negotiated, like a game or a ride, he literally told me: ‘You guys don’t even have to do anything. I’m gonna do all the negotiating. We’re gonna be paid the same, and you don’t have to think about this, Bryce. And I love him so much for doing that. I really do, because I’ve been paid more for those kinds of things than I ever was for the movie.”