Scarlett Johansson has set a new record as the global box office’s highest-grossing lead actor, with her turn in Jurassic World: Rebirth.
Four years after exiting the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she has passed fellow MCU stars Samuel L Jackson and Robert Downey Jr on her way to the top.
In the newly released film, Johansson takes over from Chris Pratt as the star of the dinosaur franchise, playing ex-military operative Zora Bennett in a mission to one of the few remaining islands where dinosaurs still live following the events of the Jurassic World trilogy.
In its first six days in cinemas worldwide, the film has earned a $318 million ($528m NZD/ $487m AUD) global launch, second only in 2025 to the Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2.
According to The Numbers, that start gives Johansson a lifetime career box office gross of $14.8 billion ($24.5 billion NZD / $22.7 billion AUD) in films where she plays a lead role or a lead ensemble role.
More than $8.7 billion of that total comes from the four Avengers films and Captain America: Civil War, in which she played Black Widow.
Other roles that count towards that total include her MCU debut film, Iron Man 2, and the two animated Sing films, in which she voiced the rock-loving porcupine, Ash.
The rest of the top five highest-grossing lead actors are Tom Hanks, Downey Jr, Jackson and Pratt.
Johannsen took the top spot with 36 movies with leading roles to her name, compared with Jackson’s 71 films and Downey Jr.’s 45 films.
