Raw box office grosses are an honest measure of an actor’s star power. Over the past 15 years, franchises and intellectual property have increasingly done the heavy lifting, often overshadowing individual performers. The actor may also be the second or third lead, making it difficult to credit him for every dollar the film earns. Many moviegoers go to… Avengersnot necessarily for any cast member. As a result, it is difficult to determine exactly what attracts audiences.
To get a better sense of value in this insanely subjective field, Greenlight Analytics’ Talent DNA tracker asks audiences a simple question: Would you see a movie in theaters if this person was in it? Across waves of tracking covering hundreds of actors and hundreds of thousands of responses, four distinct types of… Star power It begins to take shape.
Type contractors
This category includes actors who are very popular but have particularly strong appeal to certain types of films. Among the highest-ranking names in theatrical intent is Mainstays for a long time Such as Denzel Washington (57.9 percent of respondents said they would see it in theaters), Samuel L. Jackson (56.2 percent), Jackie Chan (51.3 percent), and Liam Neeson (48.5 percent). These veterans have built a loyal following over decades. While their careers include a wide range of roles, each has come to thrive in a particular path.
Washington is often the center of morally ambiguous crime dramas. Fans love Jackson’s closeness to action movies. Chan is arguably the most famous martial arts star in the history of cinema. Neeson started the “old man action” trend.
Washington’s works have grossed nearly $5 billion worldwide throughout his career. But that’s the wonderful consistency between the three Eq films — which have grossed between $190 million and $192 million worldwide — that are most illustrative of his consistency in the genre. The biggest box office success of his career (not adjusted for inflation), The second wrestlerisn’t even its own franchise; Instead, his acclaimed supporting performance added weight to an stale sequel without its original star. Fans love Denzel, and that affection takes many different forms that show up in ticket sales.
The platform is drawing
Some actors’ magnetic pull extends across the platforms. The audience loves to watch it not only in theaters but also at home. Brad Pitt (49.1 percent theatrical intent) is a great contemporary example. F1: The movie ($634 million worldwide) It was the highest-grossing “original” film of 2025, but it was rooted in a popular sport with global appeal. Aligning Pitt’s star power with a familiar concept It helped raise the profile of the film, which emerged as an adult tentpole without the support of a traditional franchise.
Adam Sandler (47.7 percent theatrical intent, 55.9 percent live intent) is also thriving on this path. His animated hit Leo (224.1 million views) and Happy Gilmore 2 (135.1 million) among Most popular Netflix original movies In the past three years.
Washington fits this category as well. His broadcast intent (65.9 percent) is eight points higher than his already outstanding play intent. His fans will follow him anywhere, which is probably why Netflix feels comfortable paying him $35 million in the upcoming Here comes the flood.
emerging class
This category speaks for itself: younger, rising stars who are establishing themselves through independent lead roles and original or New material on screen. It may be Michael B. Jordan is the most illuminating case study at the moment, with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya also in the conversation.
Jordan’s theatrical intent rating was nearly 49 percent which put him ahead of Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson and many others. Its 72.6 percent audience rating indicates an inherent appeal among broad audiences, built over two decades of film and television work. On paper, it already looks like a fully formed star, and data increasingly supports this view.
Creed III ($276 million on a $75 million budget) showed that it could expand the franchise’s existing audience. but Sinners ($370 million worldwide) is the real proof point: an original film in which he appears in almost every scene, playing two different characters, and which was a box office hit and an Oscar winner. Director Ryan Coogler’s pedigree and the genre of the film certainly contributed, but the results indicate that audiences will turn out for a Michael B. Jordan-led project.
Elsewhere on the spectrum are Keke Palmer (48.7 percent theatrical intent) and Hailee Steinfeld (42.8 percent), who Representing emerging stars of different ilk. Both have worked steadily for years, but Palmer’s appeal extends more broadly across demographics and more closely resembles genre-based performers. The success of her original comedy One day of them ($50 million domestic, with a budget of $14 million) It’s a big feather in her cap.
Steinfeld’s audience scores are slightly lower but remarkably consistent. With cross roles transformersAnd Marvel (both live action and animation) and video game adjacent mysteriousIt has developed a strong following among fans of the franchise and genre. Neither actress has yet had the opportunity to fully experience her influence with an original blockbuster film. (Give us the Keke Palmer/Hailee Steinfeld horror movie duo we deserve.)
Final words
These levels are not in competition with each other. The genre contractor is not inherently more bankable than the prestige lottery, and actors are not limited to one category over the course of their careers. Denzel Washington was an A-list leading man before long Eqand Brad Pitt was an established movie star long before that F1.
This framework is not about which actors have generated the most box office revenue. It’s about the connection each star has created with the fans and how that connection translates into fanbase and potential.
