Zoe Saldana overtook Scarlett Johansson as Hollywood's highest-grossing actress in 2025, thanks to the Avatar sequel. Johansson, close behind with major franchise roles, has lined up projects that could help her regain the lead. Key among them are leading roles in horror film The Exorcist and superhero sequel The Batman Part 2, both set for 2027 release.
Zoe Saldana currently holds the title of highest-grossing actress with $15.47 billion in box office earnings, edging out Scarlett Johansson's $15.4 billion. Samuel L. Jackson ranks third at $14.6 billion. Saldana claimed the top spot last year following the December 2025 release of James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash. Johansson's recent Jurassic World Rebirth contributed over $869 million worldwide, and she is expected to appear in a sequel within the dinosaur franchise.
Johansson's potential path back to the top involves high-profile upcoming films. She will lead The Exorcist, her first venture into horror, alongside an ensemble cast including Laurence Fishburne, Jacobi Jupe, Diane Lane, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Directed by Mike Flanagan, this Universal Pictures production presents a new story unrelated to the 2023 film The Exorcist: Believer. Filming begins in New York this year, with a theatrical release scheduled for March 2027.
In addition, Johansson joins Matt Reeves' The Batman Part 2, featuring returning stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. New additions include Barry Keoghan, rumored to portray The Joker, and Sebastian Stan, confirmed as Harvey Dent. Johansson's role remains under wraps, with speculation pointing to Andrea Beaumont from Mask of the Phantasm or Gilda Dent, Harvey's wife. This DC Studios film is slated for 2027.
For 2026, Johansson stars in James Gray's crime drama Paper Tiger opposite Miles Teller and Adam Driver. She is also reportedly set for Christopher McQuarrie's The Gauntlet with Tom Cruise and Andrea Arnold's Featherwood, where she plays ex-addict Carol Blevins going undercover for the FBI against the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas crime syndicate. These projects, backed by acclaimed directors and co-stars, position Johansson to challenge the current rankings.
