Zoe Saldaña has surpassed Scarlett Johansson in the global box office rankings, taking the top spot as the highest-grossing movie star after the success of her work in the Avatar series. This shift in the Scarlett Johansson box office ranking comes after the newest film in the franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, propelled Saldaña to new financial heights in worldwide ticket sales.
Saldaña Takes the Lead in Global Box Office Returns
For years, Scarlett Johansson led the chart of highest-grossing actors, largely on the strength of her portrayal of Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Zoe Saldaña’s ongoing performance as Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar saga has now cemented her at number one. The most recent installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, reached a significant financial milestone on January 12, amassing over $1.23 billion in worldwide box office receipts, according to The Numbers. With this latest achievement, Saldaña’s cumulative box office earnings have soared to $16,859,193,100, outpacing Johansson’s total of $16,435,483,784.
Major Film Franchises Fuel the Competition
Zoe Saldaña’s box office surge is due in large part to her central role in the three Avatar films to date, which together account for around $6 billion. In addition, her roles as Gamora in the Marvel series, plus appearances in the Star Trek franchise and the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, all contribute to her impressive total. Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson climbed to the box office peak last summer, in part thanks to her part in Jurassic World Rebirth, overtaking high-profile colleagues including Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr.
Much of Johansson’s historic success came from starring in blockbuster Marvel titles such as Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Iron Man 2. Her solo Marvel outing, Black Widow, earned $379 million—a number affected by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Johansson’s appeal is not exclusive to superhero films; she also found commercial success in movies like The Jungle Book, Sing, and Lucy.
The Top Earning Movie Stars and What Lies Ahead
The group of highest-grossing film stars includes, in addition to Saldaña and Johansson, names such as Chris Pratt, Tom Cruise, Chris Hemsworth, Vin Diesel, Chris Evans, Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Robert Downey Jr. These stars have bolstered their totals by participating in a variety of blockbuster franchises, notably from Marvel and other major studios.
Zoe Saldaña’s placement at the top looks set to strengthen, as director James Cameron has two more Avatar films planned. With the Avatar franchise continuing to expand and her involvement in additional projects on the horizon, Saldaña’s influence at the box office may increase further. Scarlett Johansson, while currently just behind, still remains a prominent figure in the industry, and her storied career continues to draw global audiences. Both actors’ rankings will be watched closely as future releases could shift the standings once more.
