Scarlett Johansson’s reign as the leading movie star in global box office history has ended, as Zoe Saldaña claims the top spot following the immense success of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. This achievement marks a major shift in the Scarlett Johansson box office ranking, with Saldaña emerging at the forefront of film earnings worldwide.
Saldaña’s rise to the number one position came after Avatar: Fire and Ash achieved a worldwide box office of $1.23 billion by January 12. With this new total added to her career earnings, Saldaña’s cumulative global box office now sits near $16.86 billion, surpassing Johansson’s $16.43 billion, according to The Numbers. Her career trajectory has been greatly influenced by her central role in the Avatar franchise, particularly as Neytiri, which has contributed about $6 billion to her total revenue.
Franchise Roles Drive Box Office Success
Beyond her impact from the Avatar series, Zoe Saldaña’s box office prominence is further bolstered by notable roles in other major franchises. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she captivated audiences as Gamora, adding substantial value to her total earnings. Additionally, Saldaña’s performances in the modern Star Trek movies and in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl have played vital roles in propelling her chart-topping status.
Scarlett Johansson’s previous lead in the rankings was largely due to her portrayal of Natasha Romanoff in several blockbuster Marvel films. Her work in Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, and other Avengers titles made up a significant portion of her cumulative gross. Johansson also benefitted from the success of films such as The Jungle Book and the animated feature Sing., further increasing her international earnings.
Current Leaders in Box Office History
With this recent development, Zoe Saldaña now holds the highest-grossing movie star title, followed closely by Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Robert Downey Jr. Other prominent names among the box office elite include Chris Pratt, Tom Cruise, Vin Diesel, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Dwayne Johnson.
The transition in ranking highlights the influence of major franchises—such as Avatar and Marvel—on shaping the careers and global recognition of actors. As new blockbusters continue to premiere worldwide, the Scarlett Johansson box office ranking and her peers’ standings may see further changes in the years ahead.
Reporting was originally credited to Disheeta Maheshwari for ComingSoon.
