Scarlett Johansson tops blockbuster chart, overtakes Robert Downey Jr and Samuel L Jackson

Key points

• Scarlett Johansson becomes the highest-grossing lead actor at the global box office
  
• Her films have now grossed £10.7 billion worldwide
  
• Johansson achieved the feat with fewer films than Jackson or Downey Jr
  
• Latest success comes from Jurassic World: Rebirth, which earned $318 million in its first six days
  

Johansson overtakes Jackson and Downey Jr at the box office

Scarlett Johansson has officially become the highest-grossing lead actor in global box office history, following the successful release of Jurassic World: Rebirth. The milestone sees her surpass fellow Marvel actors Samuel L Jackson and Robert Downey Jr, cementing her status as one of the most bankable stars in the world.

According to box office tracker The Numbers, Johansson’s films have now earned £10.7 billion worldwide. Jackson and Downey Jr trail slightly behind, with £10.7 billion and £10.5 billion respectively.

Remarkably, Johansson has achieved this with a relatively lean filmography — just 36 films, compared to Jackson’s 71 and Downey Jr’s 45.

A consistent performer over two decades

Johansson's average gross per film stands at £298 million, placing her ahead of both Jackson ($205.7m / £151m) and Downey Jr ($318.1m / £233.5m). Her breakout role came in 2003’s Lost in Translation, and she has since built a diverse portfolio that includes critically acclaimed performances in Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit, and multiple roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

She made her screen debut at the age of 10 in the 1994 comedy North, later appearing in Home Alone 3, The Horse Whisperer, and Ghost World during the 1990s.

Lead role in Jurassic World: Rebirth

In her latest film, Johansson stars as Zora Bennett, a mercenary hired by a pharmaceutical representative (played by Rupert Friend) to accompany palaeontologist Dr Henry Loomis (played by Jonathan Bailey) on a mission to retrieve dinosaur DNA. The plot builds on the legacy of the Jurassic Park franchise.

She takes over the lead from Chris Pratt, who led the previous three Jurassic World films as Owen Grady.

Within its first six days in cinemas, Jurassic World: Rebirth has earned £233 million globally, making it the second-highest performing release of 2025 so far, behind only the Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2.

A role years in the making

Johansson has previously spoken about her determination to join the franchise.

“I’ve been trying to get into this franchise in any possible way for over 10 years,” she told ComicBook.com.

“I’ll do anything for it — I’ll die in the first five minutes! I can’t believe it’s finally happened.”