Step aside, Scarlett Johansson; there’s a new actor claiming the title of highest-grossing, largely due to a massively successful film series.
Actors are well-known for their high earnings, but witnessing the impact on their career standings compared to fellow actors is always intriguing.
Being the top-grossing actor indicates a busy schedule and smart career choices. When someone rises to the top, it naturally draws everyone’s attention.
Scarlett Johansson holds second place with a cumulative box office revenue of $16,435,483,784 across 56 films, largely attributed to her performances in Marvel’s Avengers and Black Widow, as reported by The Numbers.
She also starred in the Jurassic World series and Disney’s live-action rendition of The Jungle Book. Nevertheless, another actor has captured the spotlight with an anticipated 2025 release.
So, who has taken over the top spot?
It’s Zoe Saldaña.
Saldaña, 47, brought the character Neytiri to life alongside Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully in James Cameron’s Avatar series.
The franchise began in 2009 with Avatar, followed by 2022’s The Way of Water, and the recent release, Avatar: Fire and Ash, debuting in December.
The third installment amassed $1.23 billion worldwide, as per Box Office Mojo, cementing her status as the leading grossing actress.
Previously, Saldaña embodied Gamora in The Guardians of the Galaxy series, as well as appeared in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which intersected with Johansson’s famous franchise.
Moreover, she featured in three Star Trek films with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Simon Pegg. She also appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl alongside a star-studded cast.
Presently, her film earnings total $16,859,193,100 across 48 films, which is notably impressive.
Yet, her journey is far from over, as she is set to appear in two more Avatar films exploring life on Pandora’s Moon and among the Na’vi people.
The continuation of these films was affirmed, with Cameron having previously outlined his vision for the series.
“We’re fully written through movie five, and I’ve got ideas for six and seven,” he shared with People in 2024. “Although I’ll probably be handing the baton on at that point. I mean, mortality catches up.”
On Tuesday evening (January 13), Saldaña shared a video on social media expressing gratitude to those who supported her career path.
“I just want to express my sincerest gratitude for the extraordinary journey that has led me to become the highest-grossing film actor of all time today,” she expressed.
“An achievement made possible entirely, entirely by the incredible franchises and the collaborators that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of, to every director who placed their trust in me.”