Just when we thought Ridley Scott had already stunned the world with “Alien: Romulus” in early August, he is now poised to astonish audiences once again with “Gladiator II,” the sequel to his beloved historical epic that won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2001.
This highly anticipated title boasts a star-studded cast, including Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and Joseph Quinn, among others. The story is set two decades after the events of the first part and maintains strong ties to Russell Crowe‘s iconic character, Maximus.
As the picture’s November 22 release date approaches, Paramount is working on its promotional efforts. One standout is an impressive TV commercial created in partnership with Pepsi and the NFL, which is sure to generate buzz for a long time.
Megan Thee Stallion, Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, and Justin Jefferson’s estimated earnings for the Paramount-Pepsi commercial
Much like the iconic 2003 Pepsi commercial set in the Roman Empire, featuring Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Pink as gladiators battling in the Colosseum to Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” the beverage giant has revived the concept—this time to promote “Gladiator II” and the new NFL season.
This new promotional campaign stars Megan Thee Stallion alongside football greats Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson, and Travis Kelce. Once again, Freddie Mercury’s classic anthem plays in the background, with Megan adding her own rap verses while portraying a powerful empress, as the NFL icons step into the roles of gladiators. Naturally, many are curious about the paychecks these A-list celebrities received for their involvement in the Pepsi campaign.
As for Megan Thee Stallion, it’s estimated that she earned around $5 million for this ad. Celebrity Net Worth reports that her endorsement deals with brands like Revlon, Cheetos, and Time Inc. fetch slightly lower figures, making this estimate reasonable.
Travis Kelce likely received a similar paycheck. Despite having a net worth double that of Megan and being a major trendsetter, Forbes reports that Kelce makes about $5 million annually from endorsements with major brands like McDonald’s, Nike, Papa John’s, and Bud Light. Therefore, it’s plausible that his compensation for the Pepsi ad is in the same range as Megan’s, if not slightly lower.
As for Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, and Justin Jefferson, they likely earned between $1 million and $3 million for their participation. According to Forbes, their overall endorsement earnings are a bit lower than Kelce’s, so this rumored numbers should be correct.