James McAvoy has headlined everything from Atonement to the X-Men franchise — but when it comes to residuals, only one film still reliably puts money in his pocket: M. Night Shyamalan’s 2016 horror hit Split.
James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb in Split (Credits: Universal Pictures)
The Checks Are Getting Smaller
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, McAvoy gave a candid and funny look at how Hollywood residuals really work for actors. “You get the odd check for, you know, a couple 100 quid here or sometimes you get checks for, like, 25 cents and you’re like, ‘It literally costs more to post this than it did for me to cash it,'” he laughed. Out of his entire filmography, Split is the one title that keeps delivering.
Why Split Keeps On Giving
It is easy to see why. Split was a genuine phenomenon: a micro-budget thriller that grossed over $278 million worldwide and turned McAvoy’s portrayal of Kevin Wendell Crumb — a man with 23 distinct personalities — into one of modern horror’s most memorable performances. It also spawned Glass, the 2019 finale of Shyamalan’s Unbreakable trilogy, keeping the character in the public eye.
McAvoy’s honesty is a refreshing peek behind the curtain. Fans often assume blockbusters pay forever, but the reality is a patchwork of tiny checks and one breakout earner. For McAvoy, that earner is the Beast — and a decade later, Split is still paying him like it is opening weekend.
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Source: Variety — read the full story there.
