Jennifer Lawrence to earn $8M more than Chris Pratt in new project

LOS ANGELES, June 17 (UPI) -- Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence are getting ready to embark on a pricey romantic space adventure in Passengers, although initial pay negotiations almost shut down the project.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lawrence has signed a deal for $20 million for her leading role, $8 million more than co-star and fresh A-lister Chris Pratt, who will earn $12 million. Not only is Lawrence earning the larger sum, she will also reportedly receive 30 percent of the profit once the film breaks even in the box office.

Budget issues almost shut down the project, when new Sony motion picture Chairman Tom Rothman suggested slashing the film's budget from $150 million to $90 million.

Pratt's overwhelming success in Jurassic World increased his initial fee by $2 million from $10 million, reports say.

In December, the Sony hack revealed that Oscar-winning actress Lawrence was paid less than her male leads for American Hustle, some are calling her current deal with Sony Pictures a step forward for the equal pay movement.

Passengers is currently in pre-production under Sony Pictures, and is set to begin filming in September. The big-budget drama set in space will be directed by Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) after finally finding a home with Sony in December. The script has bounced around in Hollywood for years; according to reports, Keanu Reeves, Reese Witherspoon and Rachel McAdams were once slotted for the lead roles.