AceShowbiz - Elijah Wood, who famously played Frodo Baggins in the monumental "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, opened up about the surprisingly modest salaries earned by the cast of the billion-dollar franchise.

Speaking at the 2025 Texas Film Awards, the 44-year-old actor revealed that the movies were filmed under a single contract, which significantly impacted their pay.

"Because we weren't making one movie and then renegotiating a contract for the next, it wasn't the sort of lucrative scenario that you could sort of rest easy for the rest of your life," Wood explained.

Director Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema took "a real gamble" by adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's novels into a continuous filming process, foregoing individual contracts.

Despite the trilogy's massive success, grossing $2.9 billion worldwide on a $281 million budget, the stars didn't receive hefty paychecks.

Co-stars Sean Astin and Orlando Bloom previously disclosed their earnings of around $250,000 and $175,000 respectively for all three films. Cate Blanchett, who played Galadriel, humorously mentioned she "basically got free sandwiches."

Wood declined to specify his exact earnings, stating that the sum was not accurate and "doesn't matter." He emphasized, "It's such an honor to have been a part of those films, and they represent some of the best experiences of my life."

The sentiment of gratitude over financial gain is echoed across the cast. Bloom, during a 2019 appearance on "The Howard Stern Show", referred to his $175,000 paycheck as "the greatest gift" and said he would have done it for "half the money."

While the "Lord of the Rings" movies didn't provide a financial windfall for its cast, they did deliver unforgettable experiences and lifelong bonds for those involved.

A new installment, "Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum," has been announced by Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO, David Zaslav, with a projected release in 2026.