How Much Did Winston Groom Earn From Forrest Gump?

Winston Groom was paid $350,000 for the screenplay rights to his novel Forrest Gump and received a 3 percent share of the film’s net profits.

It’s interesting to note that Groom didn’t initially see the potential of Forrest Gump as a movie. He had sold the film rights for a pittance to a small production company, but the film languished in development hell for years. It wasn’t until producer Wendy Finerman, who had optioned the rights, brought the project to director Robert Zemeckis that the film finally came to life.

Groom’s initial deal was for a flat fee of $350,000, but he also negotiated a 3 percent share of the film’s net profits. That 3 percent share turned out to be a very wise move for Groom. Forrest Gump was a massive box office success, grossing over $677 million worldwide. Although the exact amount of Groom’s earnings from the film’s net profits is unknown, it’s safe to say that he made a substantial amount of money from the film’s success.