If you’re looking to make a hit movie, there are two ways to guarantee success: hire James Cameron as director or cast Zoe Saldana as your star…or both. The 44-year-old actress is synonymous with franchise movies, best known for playing Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Neytiri in the Avatar movies.
When Avatar: The Way of Water premiered in December 2022, there was a little apprehension. Did the world really need another Avatar movie? The original came out over a decade ago. However, there was still a ton of appetite. In its sixth weekend of release, Avatar: The Way of Water has officially crossed $2 billion at the global box office. It’s currently the fifth highest grossing movie of all time.
Up to now, only six movies have crossed $2 billion at the global box office: the first Avatar, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Titanic, and now Avatar: The Way of Water. James Cameron directed three of those movies. Saldana starred in four.
Zoe Saldana is in four of the six highest grossing movies of all time
Immediately after the film crossed the $2 billion milestone, Saldana took to Instagram to share how overjoyed she is with the accomplishment. “Wow! What can I say about today? It has been a rollercoaster of emotions for sure. Gratitude for the acknowledgment, and absolute exhilaration that I get to wake up every morning and go do what I love,” she wrote.
Saldana is currently the fourth highest-grossing actor of all time. Scarlett Johansson occupies the number one spot, with Robert Downey Jr. in second and Samuel L. Jackson in third. Funnily enough, all of these actors are stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It really is a gold mine.
I can see Saldana climbing those rankings over the next few years. Remember that there are three more Avatar movies in the pipeline. Plus she’ll return as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which premieres on May 5.
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