So what would a stand-up special with a Marvel-movie budget look like? Will comedians of the future don capes and blow up metropolises? Or will they dump the money into getting chiseled abs, creating stunningly realistic holograms, and erecting ornate sets that are built to be burned to the ground? If some comedians are earning as much as Marvel leads, it’s not that crazy to imagine the future of stand-up specials might include wildly escalating budgets. That’s right up there with Chris Hemsworth’s paycheck for Thor: Love and Thunder. All you need is a comic, a mic, and a willing audience.īut these days comedy specials are big business, with Netflix offering some comics as much as $20 million per special. In the world of production, a stand-up special is one of the most affordable things you can shoot.
