In a stunning turn of events, Zoe Saldaña has officially dethroned Scarlett Johansson as Hollywood’s highest-grossing actor of all time, claiming a combined global box office total of $16.8 billion USD. This milestone wasn’t achieved by chance; it’s the culmination of strategic franchise choices spanning over 2 decades, with the latest Avatar installment pushing her past her MCU counterpart. The details behind that jump are even wilder.
The Crown Officially Changes Hands
After months of speculation, the numbers are in: Zoe Saldaña has officially surpassed Scarlett Johansson as the highest-grossing actor of all time. Saldaña’s combined box office total now stands at $16,859,193,100 USD across 48 projects. Johansson held $16,435,483,784 USD from 56 projects, powered by the MCU. One release finally tipped the scales.
Avatar’s New Chapter Seals The Record
James Cameron’s latest Avatar installment proved to be the difference-maker in Saldaña’s historic rise. Avatar: Fire and Ash crossed $1.23 billion globally after its 4th weekend, as of January 12, 2026. It opened with $347.1 million worldwide. Premium formats and 3D drove huge shares, and momentum stayed relentless, with one weekend making history.
The Scarlett Johansson Moment That Almost Was
Just months earlier, the script was different. Scarlett Johansson set a record when Jurassic World: Rebirth debuted in 2025, earning $318 million in its opening weekend globally. That temporarily catapulted her to the top, and she held it for mere months before being overtaken. How did Avatar’s broader machine overpower that surge so quickly?
The Avatar Trilogy’s $6 Billion Shockwave
The 3 Avatar films have collectively grossed over $6 billion worldwide, making them the first film trilogy ever to reach that figure. Avatar (2009) sits at $2,923,710,708 USD, and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) has reached $2,334,484,620 USD. For Saldaña, that franchise is nearly half her total, and it is not her only engine.
Gamora’s MCU Run Adds Billions
Beyond Avatar, Saldaña’s MCU work as Gamora reshaped her career. She appeared in five films, including Avengers: Endgame, which grossed $ 2.799 billion USD, and Avengers: Infinity War, which grossed $2.048 billion. Those 2 films alone contributed roughly $4.8 billion. Even with Marvel’s massive reach, her road to $16.8 billion started far earlier.
Before The Big Universes Took Over
Before becoming a box office juggernaut, Saldaña’s path wasn’t guaranteed. Her breakthrough came in the 2000 film Center Stage. She appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), which grossed $654.3 million, and then in The Terminal (2004), which grossed $219 million. Those roles hinted at durability, but the real pivot arrived in 2009.
The 3-of-4 Feat Nobody Else Has
Saldaña has appeared in 3 of the 4 highest-grossing films of all time, unadjusted for inflation. Avatar is #1 at $2.923 billion, Avengers: Endgame is #2 at $2.799 billion, and Avatar: The Way of Water is #3 at $2.334 billion. With only 48 films, her average impact is staggering, and it changes how her peers are perceived.
Samuel L. Jackson Versus The New Model
Samuel L. Jackson previously ranked third with approximately $14.6 billion, accumulated across 150+ appearances. Saldaña cleared him with fewer films and a higher per-project average, pointing to a different blueprint: fewer roles, bigger outcomes. Does Hollywood still reward marathon output, or is strategic franchise placement becoming the only path to the top?
The Titans Stuck Chasing Her Total
Behind Saldaña and Johansson, the next tier is stacked. Robert Downey Jr. sits near $14.3 billion, Chris Pratt at about $14.1 billion, Tom Cruise at $12.6 billion, and Chris Hemsworth at $12.1 billion. The gap between Saldaña’s $16.8 billion and Downey Jr. is roughly $2.5 billion, and her future commitments could widen it fast.
The Oscar Moment That Changed Perception
In March 2025, Saldaña won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Rita Mora Castro in Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez. She also shared the Cannes Best Actress award with Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz, and later won the SAG and BAFTA awards. It proved her range beyond franchises, and it reframed how people discuss her blockbuster dominance.
Star Trek Built Trust Before Pandora
Before Neytiri and Gamora, Saldaña became Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot trilogy. Star Trek (2009) earned $385.7 million, Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) hit $ 467.3 million, and Star Trek Beyond (2016) completed the run. Together they topped $1 billion. Those films quietly proved studios could hand her iconic roles and expect global turnout.
Lead And Ensemble Numbers Tell A Secret
Saldaña’s films, in which she played lead or core ensemble roles, total about $15.46 billion across 33 films. Scarlett Johansson’s comparable figure is about $15.4 billion across 36 films, a margin of just $60 million. In this narrower view, Saldaña’s case appears even stronger, as she achieved near parity with fewer projects. However, one director’s view explains why her work resonates so deeply.
“She Can Go From Regal To…”
James Cameron has been vocal about why he continues to cast Saldaña as Neytiri. He said: “She can go from regal to, in 2 nanoseconds, utterly feral. The woman is ferocious. She is a freaking lioness,”. He also noted her acting sometimes “doesn’t count in some way,”. That frustration reveals a great deal about how motion-capture talent is evaluated, and it directly relates to what comes next.
Avatar 4 And Avatar 5 Are Already Set
Avatar 4 is scheduled for release on December 21, 2029, with Avatar 5 set for December 19, 2031. Cameron confirmed both sequels were partially filmed concurrently with Avatar: Fire and Ash, and the remaining production will focus in New Zealand. Industry projections suggest each could gross $2+ billion, pushing Saldaña toward about $20.8 billion by 2031. So where does that leave her Marvel chapter?
Gamora’s Future Looks Like A Farewell
Saldaña last appeared as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023, and she has not been formally announced for the upcoming phases of the MCU. That creates a clean split: her Marvel earnings appear largely finalized, while Avatar continues stacking billions. Some observers think she may pivot toward prestige work or producing through Cinestar Pictures. That shift is already visible in her recent choices.
Building A Career Beyond The Big Two
Saldaña stars in Paramount+’s Lioness season 2 alongside Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman, and she executive produces via Cinestar Pictures, founded with sisters Mariel and Cisely. She led and produced The Absence of Eden 2023, directed by Marco Perego, and is set for The Bluff with the Russo Brothers for Amazon. The strategy is clear: keep franchise dominance, but expand creative control, and that brings new scrutiny.
The Cost Of Fame And Representation Debates
Saldaña’s success has raised controversy and expectation. Her casting as Nina Simone in Nina 2016 drew backlash over representation and skin tone differences, and she defended her Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage while acknowledging cthat riticism was fair. Emilia Pérez sparked debates about representation, too, even as her performance was widely praised. Can a box office record coexist with evolving cultural expectations without constant conflict?
The Math Behind The Dominance
Saldaña’s $16.8 billion total exceeds Robert Downey Jr. $14.3 billion by $2.5 billion and tops Samuel L. Jackson $14.6 billion by $2.2 billion. Tom Cruise at $12.6 billion trails by $4.2 billion, while #10 Dwayne Johnson at $11.46 billion trails by $5.34 billion. From 2000 to 2026, her average annual revenue is approximately $646 million. The cultural impact is just as big.
A Dominican-American Milestone With Real Weight
Saldaña became the first Dominican-American actress to win an Academy Award, and she tied it to family history in her speech. She said her grandmother, Argentina Cesse, came to the United States in 1961 with “dreams and dignity and hardworking hands,”. Raised in Jackson Heights, New York City, she now anchors films that define global box office history. But can anyone catch her before 2031?
What Happens When The Record Keeps Growing?
As Avatar: Fire and Ash continues its run and Avatar 4 approaches production completion, Saldaña’s #1 spot looks safe through this decade. With $20.8 billion projected by 2031, the gap to the next earner could approach $6 billion, a career-defining distance. The bigger question is how Hollywood adapts: more long-term franchises, fewer standalone risks, and more stars chasing her blueprint.
Sources
Zoe Saldaña Passes Fellow MCU Star To Become Highest-Grossing Actor Of All Time. Screen Rant, January 13, 2026
Avatar: Fire and Ash Tops Box Office for Fourth Straight Week. Associated Press / ABC News, January 12, 2026
Zoe Saldaña Wins Best Supporting Actress. 97th Academy Awards / Oscars, March 3, 2025
Zoe Saldaña Career Retrospective. SAG Foundation, January 14, 2026