Scarlett Johansson Rises to Become the World's Leading Box Office Star with the Success of Jurassic World Rebirth

      Scarlett Johansson has achieved a remarkable milestone with the success of Jurassic World Rebirth, overtaking her Avengers co-star Samuel L. Jackson as the leading star in worldwide box office, accumulating nearly $15 billion for films in which she has a starring role.

      Jurassic World Rebirth marks Johansson’s initial entry into the Jurassic Park franchise and secured the top spot at the box office this past weekend, bringing in $318 billion globally — further enhancing Johansson’s impressive overall earnings.

      Her filmography has grossed $14,851,079,186, ranking her No. 1 in The Numbers’ list of the Top 100 Stars in Leading Roles at the Worldwide Box Office. She surpassed Samuel L. Jackson, whose films have garnered $14,605,054,357.

      Both actors have appeared together in various MCU films, including two of the highest-grossing films in history: 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which earned over $2.7 billion worldwide, and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, grossing over $2 billion worldwide.

      They have been strategic in their choice of franchise films, with Jackson also featuring in the original Jurassic Park back in 1993.

      Johansson, 40, and Jackson, 76, have also participated in several smaller films: Johansson began the summer as part of the ensemble cast for Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, which has so far made $35 million globally.

      Importantly, Johansson secured her top box office position through a mix of leading live-action and voice acting roles. She contributed her voice to popular animated films such as Sing (which earned $631 million) and Transformers One ($128 million), as well as to Spike Jonze’s introspective drama Her ($48 million), where she voiced a comforting AI companion.

      It appears she has moved on from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, her most dependable source of box office hits, especially after her long-standing character, secret agent-turned-Avenger Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, sacrificed herself to save humanity in Avengers: Endgame.

      She reprised her role in the solo film Black Widow, which was set before Natasha’s demise, released in 2021 during a period when Covid lockdowns significantly affected the box office for many films.

      Johansson had a legal dispute with Disney, which distributed Black Widow, over its decision to release the film concurrently in theaters and on Disney+. However, the matter was quickly resolved with a settlement.

      Black Widow introduced Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Natasha’s adopted sister, who has since continued the Widow legacy in the MCU, including this year's Thunderbolts.

      Of course, characters in the MCU don’t always remain dead, and the announced returns of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans could suggest a possibility for Natasha’s return as well.

      Scarlett Johansson Background

      Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation. Focus Features.

      The box office success of the New York City-born actress results from decades of hard work that began in her childhood.

      She started her career on stage off-Broadway and made her film debut in the 1994 comedy North at the age of 10. She later appeared in films such as Manny & Lo, The Horse Whisperer, and Ghost World before taking on adult roles in Sofia Coppola’s 2003 Lost in Translation, starring alongside Bill Murray as a lonely newlywed accompanying her husband to Tokyo. The film earned her the BAFTA Award for Best Actress.

      She received further acclaim for three Woody Allen films: 2005’s Match Point, 2006’s Scoop, and 2008’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

      Her box office triumph has been complemented by extensive award recognition.

      In 2019, the same year she was featured in Avengers: Endgame, she received two Oscar nominations: one for Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit and another for Best Actress for Marriage Story.

      Main image: Scarlett Johansson stars in Jurassic World Rebirth. Universal