Zendaya's Spider-Man and Odyssey pay vs Tom Holland - there's a clear divide

Tom Holland and Zendaya have become one of Hollywood's favourite real-life couples, but the earnings they raked in for Spider-Man: Brand New Day have sparked a conversation that has nothing to do with romance.

The former reprises his titular role in the fourth film of the standalone series, which follows the devastating ending of No Way Home, where Doctor Strange's spell erased Peter Parker's identity from everyone's memory, including MJ's.

According to the official synopsis, the latest instalment of the superhero hit follows Peter as he tries to build a new life while balancing his responsibilities as Spider-Man, before a dangerous new threat forces him to confront whether he can ever truly start over.

That makes Zendaya's return as MJ one of the film's biggest talking points.

Although Peter chose not to reveal his identity to her at the end of No Way Home, their relationship has become one of the emotional cornerstones of Holland's Spider-Man films.

The pair's on-screen dynamic is made even more fascinating by the fact that Holland, 30, and Zendaya, 29, are married in real-life.

So it's perhaps no surprise that, as excitement builds for Brand New Day, fans have also been paying close attention to another aspect of the film: how much its stars are reportedly earning.

According to Wealth, British star Holland will take home a salary of around $20 million, while his wife will receive a considerably lower $8m.

The reported disparity is also interesting, given that the pair are also starring together - although, in separate scenes - in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster adaptation of The Odyssey, where other reports have suggested their salaries are much closer, given that they each play supporting roles.

Zendaya reportedly took home half of what Holland earned for The Odyssey (Universal)

According to The Tab, Holland reportedly earned $10 million for the mythological hit, while Zendaya is, again, said to have received a lower $5 million.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why the gap may exist.

Sure, Holland is the title character of the Spider-Man series, appearing in almost every single scene since 2017, while Zendaya has traditionally had less screen time across the franchise.

And in The Odyssey, Holland plays the son of main character Odysseus (played by Matt Damon), while Zendaya plays the goddess Athena, who only appears as the lead's spiritual guide a handful of times.

While salary negotiations in blockbuster filmmaking are influenced by factors including billing, screen time, franchise contracts and profit participation, fans have nonetheless been debating whether the reported gap feels justified - especially given Zendaya's status as one of the most bankable actors working today following projects including the upcoming Dune: Part Three, Euphoria, and Challengers.

Critics have had their say on the disparity (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Universal Pictures)

Replying to Wealth's Spider-Mna salary report on Instagram, one wrote: "Zendaya should be paid more than Tom, she made him and the movies famous."

Another agreed: "Zendaya should get 20 too."

Others argued that the figures were more than fair, including one who pointed out: "Peter Parker is the main character."

Another joked about the pair being married, adding: "Zendaya got 28 million."