While directors sometimes have a strong idea of who should play a particular part in their films (Woody Allen created the character of Annie Hall with Diane Keaton in mind, for instance), an actor’s bankability has always been a major factor when casting the major roles in a movie. Producers and studio executives often place their thumb on the scale of casting decisions, then.
To determine the most bankable actors in terms of potential domestic box office earning power, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from industry site Opus Data, a product of Nash Information Services. Actors were ranked based on the amount they are forecasted to add to the average non-franchise film at the domestic box office as of October 2022. The estimated added value is a component of the Numbers Bankability Index, and is based on past box office performance.
Data on each actor’s age and on inflation-adjusted domestic box office used to determine an actors’ highest-grossing film also came from Opus Data. To determine an actor’s highest-rated film, 24/7 Tempo developed an index based on user scores on IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, and audience and critics’ Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, weighting all measures equally. Only films for which an actor was listed among the top-four billed actors on IMDb were included.
What studios are concerned about is what the industry calls “box office poison.” That term gained prominence in 1938 when the Hollywood Reporter ran an advertisement from the Independent Theatre Owners Association complaining about highly paid stars “whose appeal was negligible” and whose films were not hits. The advert cited Hollywood legends Fred Astaire, Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, Mae West, and Joan Crawford as examples. (These are some A-list actors’ biggest box office flops.)
Box office poison doesn’t appear to be an issue with those on our list, who can potentially add anywhere from $6.8 million to $18.0 million to a future non-franchise film’s domestic ticket sales.
Click here to see the most bankable actors in America right now
Though many of the actors here have appeared in some of the industry’s most profitable movie franchises, such as Marvel Comics Universe’s X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Avengers; action franchises like Star Wars and The Hunger Games; and animation series such as Despicable Me and Kung Fu Panda, they have proved their bankability in non-franchise films such as “Perfect Storm,” “Minority Report,” and “Saving Private Ryan.”
Of the 50 actors on this list, all but five are male – including the top seven. The highest female actor is Scarlett Johansson, who has appeared in the The Avengers franchise films, but also in such acclaimed non-franchise features as “Jojo Rabbit” and “Marriage Story.” (Here’s a list of the biggest Scarlett Johansson movies, ranked from worst to best.)
50. Jason Bateman
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$6.8 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Zootopia (2016)
> Highest-rated film: Zootopia (2016)
> Age: 53 years
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49. Elizabeth Banks
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$6.8 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Lego Movie (2014)
> Highest-rated film: The Lego Movie (2014)
> Age: 48 years
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48. Jamie Foxx
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$6.8 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
> Highest-rated film: Django Unchained (2012)
> Age: 54 years
47. Nicole Kidman
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$6.8 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Batman Forever (1995)
> Highest-rated film: Lion (2016)
> Age: 55 years
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46. Forest Whitaker
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$6.9 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
> Highest-rated film: Arrival (2016)
> Age: 61 years
45. Owen Wilson
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$6.9 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Cars (2006)
> Highest-rated film: Midnight in Paris (2011)
> Age: 54 years
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44. Andy Serkis
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$6.9 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
> Highest-rated film: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
> Age: 58 years
43. Stanley Tucci
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.0 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Hunger Games (2012)
> Highest-rated film: Big Night (1996)
> Age: 62 years
42. Hugh Jackman
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.0 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
> Highest-rated film: Logan (2017)
> Age: 54 years
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41. Mark Ruffalo
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.0 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Highest-rated film: Spotlight (2015)
> Age: 55 years
40. Chris Hemsworth
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.0 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Highest-rated film: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Age: 39 years
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39. Djimon Hounsou
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.1 million
> Highest-grossing film: Constantine (2005)
> Highest-rated film: In America (2002)
> Age: 58 years
38. George Clooney
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.2 million
> Highest-grossing film: The Perfect Storm (2000)
> Highest-rated film: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
> Age: 61 years
37. Alan Tudyk
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.4 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
> Highest-rated film: Serenity (2005)
> Age: 51 years
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36. Idris Elba
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.4 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Jungle Book (2016)
> Highest-rated film: Zootopia (2016)
> Age: 50 years
35. Clint Eastwood
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.5 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Every Which Way but Loose (1978)
> Highest-rated film: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
> Age: 92 years
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34. Benedict Cumberbatch
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.5 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018)
> Highest-rated film: The Imitation Game (2014)
> Age: 46 years
33. Angelina Jolie
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.5 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Kung Fu Panda (2008)
> Highest-rated film: Kung Fu Panda (2008)
> Age: 47 years
32. Ben Affleck
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.6 million
> Highest-grossing film: Armageddon (1998)
> Highest-rated film: Good Will Hunting (1997)
> Age: 50 years
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31. Michael Peña
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.7 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
> Highest-rated film: End of Watch (2012)
> Age: 46 years
30. Steve Carell
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.7 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Despicable Me 2 (2013)
> Highest-rated film: Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
> Age: 60 years
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29. Willem Dafoe
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$7.9 million
> Highest-grossing film: Spider-Man (2002)
> Highest-rated film: Finding Nemo (2003)
> Age: 67 years
28. Channing Tatum
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.0 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: 22 Jump Street (2014)
> Highest-rated film: 21 Jump Street (2012)
> Age: 42 years
27. Adam Sandler
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.0 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Waterboy (1998)
> Highest-rated film: The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)
> Age: 56 years
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26. Sandra Bullock
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.1 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Minions (2015)
> Highest-rated film: Gravity (2013)
> Age: 58 years
25. Chris Evans
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.1 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Highest-rated film: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Age: 41 years
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24. Seth Rogen
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.2 million
> Highest-grossing film: The Lion King (2019)
> Highest-rated film: 50/50 (2011)
> Age: 40 years
23. Chris Pratt
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.3 million
> Highest-grossing film: Jurassic World (2015)
> Highest-rated film: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
> Age: 43 years
22. Denzel Washington
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.4 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Pelican Brief (1993)
> Highest-rated film: Glory (1989)
> Age: 67 years
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21. Colin Farrell
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.4 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Minority Report (2002)
> Highest-rated film: In Bruges (2008)
> Age: 46 years
20. Kevin Hart
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.5 million
> Highest-grossing film: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
> Highest-rated film: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
> Age: 43 years
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19. Woody Harrelson
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.9 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
> Highest-rated film: No Country for Old Men (2007)
> Age: 61 years
18. Will Ferrell
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$8.9 million (tioe)
> Highest-grossing film: The Lego Movie (2014)
> Highest-rated film: The Lego Movie (2014)
> Age: 55 years
17. Ryan Reynolds
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$9.0 million
> Highest-grossing film: Deadpool (2016)
> Highest-rated film: Deadpool (2016)
> Age: 46 years
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16. Liam Neeson
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$9.3 million
> Highest-grossing film: Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
> Highest-rated film: Schindler’s List (1993)
> Age: 70 years
15. Johnny Depp
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$9.4 million
> Highest-grossing film: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
> Highest-rated film: Edward Scissorhands (1990)
> Age: 59 years
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14. Morgan Freeman
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$9.7 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Bruce Almighty (2003)
> Highest-rated film: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
> Age: 85 years
13. Leonardo DiCaprio
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$9.7 million (tie)
> Highest-grossing film: Titanic (1997)
> Highest-rated film: The Departed (2006)
> Age: 48 years
12. Tom Cruise
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$9.8 million
> Highest-grossing film: Top Gun (1986)
> Highest-rated film: Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
> Age: 60 years
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11. Robert De Niro
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$10.2 million
> Highest-grossing film: Meet the Fockers (2004)
> Highest-rated film: The Godfather: Part II (1974)
> Age: 79 years
10. Matt Damon
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$10.4 million
> Highest-grossing film: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
> Highest-rated film: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
> Age: 52 years
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9. Mark Wahlberg
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$10.8 million
> Highest-grossing film: The Perfect Storm (2000)
> Highest-rated film: The Departed (2006)
> Age: 51 years
8. Scarlett Johansson
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$10.9 million
> Highest-grossing film: The Avengers (2012)
> Highest-rated film: The Avengers (2012)
> Age: 38 years
7. Brad Pitt
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$11.1 million
> Highest-grossing film: Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
> Highest-rated film: 12 Years a Slave (2013)
> Age: 58 years
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6. Will Smith
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$11.2 million
> Highest-grossing film: Independence Day (1996)
> Highest-rated film: Men in Black (1997)
> Age: 54 years
5. Robert Downey, Jr.
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$12.0 million
> Highest-grossing film: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Highest-rated film: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
> Age: 57 years
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4. Dwayne Johnson
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$12.3 million
> Highest-grossing film: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
> Highest-rated film: Moana (2016)
> Age: 50 years
3. Bradley Cooper
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$12.7 million
> Highest-grossing film: American Sniper (2014)
> Highest-rated film: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
> Age: 47 years
2. Tom Hanks
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$13.5 million
> Highest-grossing film: Forrest Gump (1994)
> Highest-rated film: Toy Story (1995)
> Age: 66 years
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1. Samuel L. Jackson
> Added domestic box office to avg. non-franchise film: +$18.0 million
> Highest-grossing film: Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
> Highest-rated film: Pulp Fiction (1994)
> Age: 73 years
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