The following are non-definitive lists of the actors with the highest career-film grosses. There are box-office gross revenue lists, which are not adjusted for inflation, as well as lists for the number of box-office ticket sales.

Box-office gross revenue

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Because of the effects of inflation on cinema ticket prices, a list unadjusted for inflation gives much more weight to later actors.[1] Therefore, gross revenue lists are largely meaningless for comparing acting careers widely separated in time, as many actors from earlier eras will not appear on a modern, unadjusted list, despite their films achieving higher commercial success when adjusted for inflation.[2]

Lead roles

This list only includes leading roles and lead ensemble roles, including voice acting. The list is updated as of 20 July 2023.

Rank Actor Worldwide total Films Average Top-grossing film Ref.
1 Scarlett Johansson $14,973,199,748[3] 33 $441,309,083 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [4]
2 Robert Downey Jr. $14,863,065,910[3] 44 $327,115,134 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [5]
3 Samuel L. Jackson $14,376,505,937[3] 66 $217,825,848 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [6]
4 Zoe Saldaña $14,240,098,353[3] 31 $459,358,011 Avatar ($2,923,706,026) [7]
5 Chris Pratt $13,930,412,487[3] 23 $605,670,108 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [8]
6 Vin Diesel $12,094,641,073[dubious – discuss] 28 $431,951,467 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [9]
7 Chris Hemsworth $11,959,862,470[3] 27 $442,957,869 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [10]
8 Tom Cruise $11,777,319,499[3] 43 $273,891,151 Top Gun: Maverick ($1,478,933,621) [11]
9 Chris Evans $11,277,890,989[3] 29 $388,892,793 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [12]
10 Bradley Cooper $11,275,037,103[3] 28 $402,679,897 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [13]

All roles

This list includes cameos and voice acting. The number of films is from the source The Numbers and may not correspond exactly to a linked filmography. The list is updated as of 20 July 2023.

Rank Actor Worldwide total Films Average Top-grossing film Ref.
1 Stan Lee $30,601,574,433[14] 50 $612,031,489 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [15]
2 Samuel L. Jackson $27,774,380,735[14] 142 $195,594,231 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [16]
3 Frank Welker $17,442,437,820[14] 112 $155,736,052 Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($1,123,794,079) [17]
4 John Ratzenberger $16,766,086,423[14] 52 $322,424,739 Incredibles 2 ($1,242,805,359) [18]
5 Bob Bergen $15,707,353,005[14] 60 $261,789,217 Minions ($1,157,271,759) [19]
6 Chris Pratt $15,663,322,335[14] 36 $435,092,287 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [20]
7 Zoe Saldaña $15,533,829,929[14] 47 $330,507,020 Avatar ($2,923,706,026) [21]
8 Scarlett Johansson $15,428,096,444[14] 52 $296,694,162 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [22]
9 Robert Downey Jr. $15,346,079,650[14] 67 $229,045,965 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [23]
10 Andy Serkis $15,197,137,127[14] 36 $422,142,698 Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2,064,615,817) [24]
11 Benedict Cumberbatch $15,090,526,782[14] 43 $350,942,483 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [25]
12 Alan Tudyk $15,034,696,113[dubious – discuss] 41 $366,699,905 Frozen II ($1,453,683,476) [26]
13 Warwick Davis $14,971,417,736[dubious – discuss] 24 $623,809,072 Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2,064,615,817) [27]
14 Vin Diesel $14,140,890,097[dubious – discuss] 37 $382,186,219 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [28]
15 Jon Favreau $13,970,645,911[14] 41 $340,747,461 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [29]
16 Dwayne Johnson $13,788,085,285[14] 51 $270,354,613 Furious 7 ($1,511,986,364) [30]
17 Chris Evans $13,753,699,045[14] 42 $327,469,025 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [31]
18 Idris Elba $13,334,065,597[14] 51 $261,452,267 Avengers: Infinity War ($2,048,359,754) [32]
19 Bradley Cooper $13,017,541,896[14] 40 $325,438,547 Avengers: Endgame ($2,794,731,755) [33]
20 Tom Cruise $12,783,203,247 [34] 48 $266,316,734 Top Gun: Maverick ($1,478,933,621) [35]

Earlier eras

Up until 2000

A survey by TLA Video in 2000 estimated that the following actors had sold the most movie tickets at the box office.[36][37]

Rank Actor Ticket sales (est.)
1 Clark Gable 1,168,300,000
2 John Wayne 1,114,000,000
3 Bing Crosby 1,077,900,000
4 James Stewart 981,900,000
5 Cary Grant 942,500,000
6 Spencer Tracy 937,200,000
7 Gary Cooper 878,600,000
8 Mickey Rooney 867,900,000
9 Harrison Ford 852,700,000
10 Gregory Peck 728,000,000

Up until 1966

In 1966, Variety calculated a list of the highest-grossing stars using their All-Time Top Grossing Films lists based on the number of films that had earned theatrical rentals of $4 million or more in the United States and Canada by the end of 1965.[38] As the list was based on number of films on the chart, there may have been some stars who appeared in fewer films listed but with a higher total rental. As with current lists, the list favors films and stars of the later eras as later films generally gross more. John Wayne topped the list. Variety noted that Crosby's last hit prior to 1965 was High Society in 1956, and at that date he would have led the list.[38] They also noted that Gable was the undisputed king until he went into the Army in 1942 and that he wasn't ranked higher, as many of his earlier hits did not reach their $4 million cut-off and were therefore not included in his total.[38]

Rank Actor Total
(US/Canada rentals)[38] 		Top-grossing film
(US/Canada rentals) 		Films on chart Average
1 John Wayne $113,422,000 How the West Was Won ($23,000,000) 17 $6,671,882
2 Charlton Heston $110,500,000 Ben-Hur ($38,000,000) 7 $15,785,714
3 Gregory Peck $105,075,000 How the West Was Won ($23,000,000) 14 $7,505,357
4 Frank Sinatra $95,450,000 From Here To Eternity ($12,200,000) 17 $5,614,706
5 Elizabeth Taylor $85,825,000 Cleopatra ($23,500,000) 10 $8,582,500
6 Richard Burton $79,950,000 Cleopatra ($23,500,000) 7 $11,421,429
7 James Stewart $77,700,000 How the West Was Won ($23,000,000) 9 $8,633,333
8 Bing Crosby $68,500,000 White Christmas ($12,000,000) 11 $6,227,273
9 Clark Gable $65,100,000 Gone with the Wind ($41,200,000) 6 $10,850,000
10 William Holden $62,610,000 The Bridge on the River Kwai ($17,195,000) 10 $6,261,000
11 Cary Grant $62,550,000 Operation Petticoat ($9,500,000) 11 $5,686,364
12 Shirley MacLaine $62,150,000 Around the World in 80 Days ($22,000,000) 7 $8,878,571
13 Henry Fonda $61,250,000 How the West Was Won ($23,000,000) 6 $10,208,333
14 Fred MacMurray $58,300,000 The Shaggy Dog ($9,600,000) 8 $7,287,500
15 Spencer Tracy $57,950,000 How the West Was Won ($23,000,000) 6 $9,658,333
16 Jean Simmons $57,450,000 The Robe ($17,500,000) 7 $8,207,143
17 Jack Lemmon $56,405,000 Irma La Douce ($11,250,000) 8 $7,050,625
18 Marlon Brando $56,150,000 Sayonara ($10,500,000) 9 $6,238,889
19 David Niven $54,400,000 Around the World in 80 Days ($22,000,000) 6 $9,066,667
20 Doris Day $53,900,000 Lover Come Back ($8,500,000) 9 $5,988,889

See also

References

  1. ^ Bialik, Carl (January 29, 2010). "How Hollywood Box-Office Records Are Made". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 1, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  2. ^ Pincus-Roth, Zachary (July 6, 2009). "Best Weekend Never". Slate. Archived from the original on January 17, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Top 100 Stars in Leading Roles at the Worldwide Box Office". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  4. ^ "Scarlett Johansson". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  5. ^ "Robert Downey, Jr". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  6. ^ "Samuel L. Jackson". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  7. ^ "Zoe Saldana". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  8. ^ "Chris Pratt". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  9. ^ "Vin Diesel". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  10. ^ "Chris Hemsworth". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  11. ^ "Tom Cruise". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Chris Evans". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  13. ^ "Bradley Cooper". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Top Stars at the Worldwide Box Office". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  15. ^ "Stan Lee". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  16. ^ "Samuel L. Jackson". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  17. ^ "Frank Welker". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  18. ^ "John Ratzenberger". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  19. ^ "Bob Bergen". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  20. ^ "Chris Pratt". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  21. ^ "Zoe Saldana". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  22. ^ "Scarlett Johansson". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  23. ^ "Robert Downey, Jr". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  24. ^ "Andy Serkis". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  25. ^ "Benedict Cumberbatch". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  26. ^ "Alan Tudyk". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  27. ^ "Warwick Davis". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  28. ^ "Vin Diesel". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  29. ^ "Jon Favreau". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  30. ^ "Dwayne Johnson". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  31. ^ "Chris Evans". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  32. ^ "Idris Elba". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  33. ^ "Bradley Cooper". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  34. ^ https://www.the-numbers.com/person/540401-Tom-Cruise
  35. ^ "Tom Cruise". The Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  36. ^ Macfarlane, Malcolm (2001). "Chapter 11: Epilogue". Bing Crosby – Day by Day. Lanham, Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. pp. 670–671. ISBN 0-8108-4145-2. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  37. ^ "Top Stars of All-Time: Estimated Ticket Sales". TLA Video. Archived from the original on December 11, 2001. Retrieved March 21, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  38. ^ a b c d Beaupre, Lee (January 5, 1966). "Star, Producer, Director Identification With All-Time Top-Grossing Features". Variety. p. 7.
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