Zoe Saldaña has officially become the highest-grossing actor in global box-office history, propelled by the December 2025 release of Avatar: Fire and Ash.
At a Glance
- Saldaña’s worldwide gross now tops $15.4 billion, per The Numbers.
- She has starred in three of the five biggest films ever: Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Avengers: Endgame.
- She is already locked for Avatar 4 and Avatar 5.
- Why it matters: The milestone rewrites the record books and spotlights the earning power of franchise loyalty.
The actress, 47, has played Na’vi warrior Neytiri since James Cameron’s 2009 original. Avatar: Fire and Ash kept theaters packed through January 2026, pushing the franchise past $6.3 billion combined and Saldaña past every other performer on the global charts.
How the numbers stack up
| Film | Global gross |
|---|---|
| Avatar (2009) | $2.9 billion |
| Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) | $2.3 billion |
| Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) | $1.1 billion* |
| Total (3 films) | $6.3 billion |
*Still climbing as of January 2026, per Walt Disney Studios.
Saldaña’s résumé also includes the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers sagas plus Star Trek, lifting her lifetime tally past $15.4 billion. No other actor has crossed that threshold.
Franchise loyalty drives record
The performer signed on for “possible future installments” when Cameron first cast her in 2007, according to a 2007 report cited by News Of Losangeles. After the 2009 phenomenon, she and co-star Sam Worthington renegotiated in 2014 for what Daniel J. Whitman described as “new deals” similar to their originals.
While her exact salary remains undisclosed, she told Deadline in February 2025 that returning to Pandora never felt like a gamble. “It’s a gift to revisit a character that has given me so much,” she said.
Next up: two more sequels
Cameron has already filmed portions of Avatar 4 alongside Fire and Ash. Saldaña is contractually committed to finish both Avatar 4 (dated December 2029) and Avatar 5 (December 2031) as long as Disney gives the green light.
“As long as the fans keep connecting to this … we will continue,” she told Entertainment Tonight in December 2025.
On January 13 she posted an Instagram video thanking Cameron “for believing in my potential” and fans for “unwavering support,” adding the milestone was “made possible entirely … by the incredible franchises and collaborators that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of.”
Key takeaways
- Saldaña now leads every actor in reported global ticket sales.
- Three Avatar films have earned more than most single franchises in history.
- She will remain Neytiri through at least 2031, ensuring the record could widen.
