Tom Holland entered the summer as one of Hollywood’s biggest box-office stars. Two blockbusters later, he is being credited with the top spot on the worldwide leading-role ranking.
The 30-year-old actor’s qualifying films have now generated roughly $15.5 billion worldwide, according to Just Jared, moving him ahead of Zoë Saldaña’s previously reported $15.468 billion and Scarlett Johansson’s $15.402 billion.
The final surge came from two movies released only two weeks apart. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has climbed to approximately $2.45 billion worldwide, while Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has reached about $1.68 billion and become the highest-grossing film in Universal Pictures history.
This is a leading-role box-office measure. Different rankings that count supporting roles, cameos or every credited appearance can produce different leaders.
Holland Was Still No. 3 at the End of August
The change at the top happened quickly. By late August, Holland was being reported at approximately $15.20 billion, behind Saldaña at about $15.47 billion and Johansson at roughly $15.40 billion.
That already placed him ahead of longtime box-office heavyweights including Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. Holland’s total then continued rising because both of his major summer releases were still doing significant theatrical business.
By Sept. 13, ComicBook.com and Just Jared were reporting Holland at approximately $15.5 billion, enough to move him past both Saldaña and Johansson on the ranking.
His film breakthrough came with The Impossible in 2012, and he first appeared as Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War four years later.
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Supplied the Biggest Push
No single movie contributed more to Holland’s summer jump than his fourth solo Spider-Man film. Brand New Day opened July 31 and crossed $2 billion worldwide during its third weekend. As of Sept. 14, Box Office Mojo lists the film at approximately $2.451 billion worldwide, including $935.17 million from North America.
That global total makes it the third-highest-grossing film ever, behind only Avatar and Avengers: Endgame. It has passed Avatar: The Way of Water, Ne Zha 2, Titanic and Star Wars: The Force Awakens worldwide.
The domestic race is even tighter. The Force Awakens remains No. 1 in North America with approximately $936.66 million, leaving Brand New Day only about $1.49 million short based on current estimates. AP reported Sunday that the Spider-Man sequel had reached roughly $935.2 million domestically.
Holland’s Peter Parker remains at the center of the sequel, with Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal and Mark Ruffalo among the supporting cast. Destin Daniel Cretton directed the film.
‘The Odyssey’ Just Became Universal’s Biggest Movie Ever
Holland’s other summer blockbuster gave his career total a major boost outside Marvel. The Odyssey opened July 17, exactly two weeks before Brand New Day, with Holland playing Telemachus alongside Matt Damon’s Odysseus.
The film’s worldwide total reached approximately $1.684 billion by Sept. 14. NBCUniversal announced over the weekend that Nolan’s epic had passed 2015’s Jurassic World to become the highest-grossing release in Universal Pictures history.
The record had stood for more than a decade. Jurassic World finished with roughly $1.672 billion worldwide, while current box-office estimates put The Odyssey several million dollars beyond that total and still climbing.
The film had already broken another significant record in August. At $1.352 billion, it passed Deadpool & Wolverine to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. Variety reported that milestone on Aug. 21.
The ‘Highest-Grossing’ Record Has a Specific Definition
The leading-role measure tracks cumulative worldwide box office from movies in which the performer is classified in a leading capacity. The Numbers’ methodology for its worldwide leading-star chart also includes qualifying voice roles.
That differs from broader actor rankings that count every credited appearance, including supporting roles and cameos. Someone who spent decades making brief appearances in enormous franchises can therefore rank differently depending on which chart is being used.
The ranking is also unadjusted for inflation. Contemporary blockbusters benefit from today’s ticket prices, premium formats and global theatrical market in ways movies released decades earlier did not.
Spider-Man Still Accounts for Most of Holland’s Biggest Hits
Holland’s position remains closely connected to Peter Parker. His Spider-Man has appeared in four solo movies as well as Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Endgame earned approximately $2.80 billion worldwide, while Infinity War passed $2.05 billion. No Way Home reached roughly $1.92 billion despite opening in late 2021, when theatrical attendance was still recovering from the pandemic.