At a Glance
- Zoe Saldaña’s global box-office total has hit $16.8 billion, overtaking Scarlett Johansson’s $16.4 billion.
- The surge was driven by Avatar: Fire and Ash, which reached $1.23 billion worldwide on Jan. 12.
- Saldaña now heads the all-time list, followed by Johansson and three other Marvel stalwarts.
- Why it matters: The shift crowns a new commercial queen after more than a decade of Johansson dominance.
Scarlett Johansson’s long reign as the highest-grossing actor ever has ended. Zoe Saldaña has claimed the crown, propelled by the latest trip to Pandora.
How the Numbers Moved
Avatar: Fire and Ash crossed the $1.23 billion mark at the global box office on Jan. 12, according to Box Office Mojo data cited by Caleb R. Anderson. That push lifted Saldaña’s career cumulative to $16.8 billion, per Screen Rant calculations, edging out Johansson’s $16.4 billion.
The total folds in Saldaña’s earlier hits:
- Star Trek (2009)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- The first two Avatar installments
The New Top Five
With the update, the all-time list now reads:
| Rank | Actor | Worldwide Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoe Saldaña | $16.8B |
| 2 | Scarlett Johansson | $16.4B |
| 3 | Samuel L. Jackson | TBD |
| 4 | Robert Downey Jr. | TBD |
| 5 | Chris Pratt | TBD |
The three men behind Johansson are all Marvel colleagues of both stars.
Awards Season Footnote
Avatar: Fire and Ash entered the Golden Globes race with a nomination for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. The trophy ultimately went to Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners during the Jan. 11 ceremony hosted by Nikki Glaser.
Saldaña herself won at the previous Golden Globes, capturing Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for Emilia Pérez. In her acceptance speech she praised co-stars Selena Gomez and Karla Sofía Gascón as well as director Jacques Audiard.
> “This is a first time for me, and I’m just so blessed that I’m sharing this moment with Selena and Karla and Jacques and all of my fellow nominees,” she said. “I’m in awe of you, your strength, your complexity, your undeniable talent.”
She added, “I know that it is a competition, but all that I have witnessed is just us showing up for each other and celebrating each other, and it’s just so beautiful.”
Family and Future Projects
The Guardians of the Galaxy star is mom to twins Cy Aridio and Bowie Ezio, 11, and son Zen Anton, 9, with husband Marco Perego. No release window has been announced for the next Avatar sequel, but Saldaña is already booked to reprise Neytiri whenever Cameron calls action again.
Key Takeaways
- Zoe Saldaña now tops the global box-office rankings at $16.8 billion.
- Avatar: Fire and Ash supplied the final boost needed to pass Johansson.
- The record swap underscores the enduring power of franchise filmmaking.
