The business takeaway: Jackson’s career is a masterclass in picking the right ensembles. He rarely carries a movie alone, but he elevates every franchise he joins. For years, the top spot was dominated by male action heroes. No longer. The Numbers report confirms that Scarlett Johansson is the highest-grossing female star of all time, and she sits comfortably in the global top 10.
Her $9.1 billion total is powered by two massive engines: in the MCU and her voice work as Rosie in the Sing franchise. But here is where the business report gets interesting: Johansson also has serious indie cred ( Marriage Story , Lost in Translation ), proving that she can draw audiences for prestige dramas as well as blockbusters.
Why? He doesn't do franchises every year. He does one Mission: Impossible every three to four years and rarely appears in Marvel or DC films. His average per movie is astronomical, but his volume is low. business report highest grossing stars the numbers
Why? Because for a stretch between 2008 and 2019, Downey’s Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes films generated absurd per-film averages. He didn't just appear in movies; he was the revenue driver.
If you want to cut through the Hollywood hype and look at the cold, hard math of movie stardom, there is one database industry insiders trust: The Numbers . The business takeaway: Jackson’s career is a masterclass
His total? Over globally.
Her total is actually higher than many of her male counterparts who only do action movies. While Samuel L. Jackson has the total, Robert Downey Jr. has the peak. The Numbers report highlights Downey as the ultimate "bankable star" of the modern era. No longer
Unlike other sites that rely on estimates or global “cultural impact,” The Numbers tracks exact box office figures, adjusting for inflation and digging into the data behind who actually sells tickets. Their latest business report on the highest-grossing stars is out, and the results might surprise you.