Hollywood actor James McAvoy has revealed that the 2016 psychological thriller 'Split' is the film that has consistently paid him the most in residuals — and he credits director M. Night Shyamalan's lean, focused filmmaking approach for making it possible.

Why 'Split' Keeps Paying

Speaking on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast with host Josh Horowitz, McAvoy explained that residual income from films is largely unpredictable, with some cheques amounting to only a couple of hundred dollars — or, he noted, 'even as little as 25 cents.'

'The only one that really consistently pays me is Split,' McAvoy said. 'Well, I think it was made for like $6 million or something like that. And let's say they spent $30 (million) advertising it, and in our first weekend, we made $40 (million). So, we were in profit. So our first residual check came at the end of the first weekend.'

The film's swift path to profitability — crossing its combined production and marketing spend within its opening weekend — meant the residual clock started ticking almost immediately, a relative rarity in Hollywood accounting.

Praise for M. Night Shyamalan

McAvoy was effusive in his admiration for Shyamalan, highlighting the director's exceptional preparedness as a key lesson from their collaboration. 'The thing that I took away from him was his preparedness because you know he made that film and 'Glass' on incredibly modest budgets and was very focused,' McAvoy said.

He added that Shyamalan maximised filming time by being 'incredibly well-prepared' and maintaining clear communication with both cast and crew throughout the shoot. In 'Split', McAvoy played a man with dissociative identity disorder, portraying multiple alternate personalities — a performance widely regarded as one of his most demanding. He reprised the role in the 2019 sequel 'Glass'.

The 'Atonement' Anecdote

McAvoy also revisited a well-known story about his discomfort on the set of the 2007 period drama 'Atonement', revealing that he felt 'too socially awkward' to accept director Joe Wright's suggestion that the key cast and crew all live together and share nightly dinners. The now 47-year-old actor said he had 'a lot of fun' making the film but actively sought an excuse to avoid the communal living arrangement.

'Atonement' featured an ensemble that included Keira Knightley, Juno Temple, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Vanessa Redgrave.

McAvoy's Broader Perspective on Residuals

The actor's candid remarks offer a rare window into Hollywood's residuals system, which compensates performers and creators when their work is re-screened, streamed, or broadcast after initial release. McAvoy's experience underlines how a modestly budgeted but highly profitable film — rather than a blockbuster with massive overheads — can be the more dependable long-term earner for talent. With streaming platforms reshaping how residuals are calculated and distributed, his comments arrive at a moment of heightened industry debate on the subject.