Despite having starred in the mega-hit satirical comedyBarbiea couple of years ago,Ryan Goslingwas recently overtaken byFlorence Pughon the list of the highest-grossing movie stars of all time. Pugh is headlining Marvel’sThunderbolts*, which delivered a strong opening at the worldwide box office this weekend, on the back of positive reviews and enthusiastic audience buzz. Like Gosling,Pugh started out in independent cinemabefore quickly becoming a go-to favorite for A-list directors, such asChristopher NolanandDenis Villeneuve.
Thunderbolts*has pushed the combined total of all her films to over $3.5 billion worldwide. With less than 20 films on her resume, her career box office stands at $3.589 billion, which puts her $1 million ahead of Gosling, who has starred in over 30 films in his career. Pughbroke out with a leading role in the historical thrillerLady Macbeth, before starring in the sports dramaFighting with My Familyin 2019. This was a major year for her; she also starred inAri Aster’s horror filmMidsommar, andGreta Gerwig’s period dramaLittle Women.
Marvel came calling, and offered her the role of Yelena Belova in the filmBlack Widow, which grossed nearly $400 million worldwide despite being released during the pandemic.Black Widowwas also made available simultaneously on Disney+ for a premium access fee. Pugh subsequently bagged a role inOlivia Wilde’s controversial psychological dramaDon’t Worry Darling, after which she landed a pivotal role in Nolan’sOppenheimer. The movie made nearly $1 billion worldwide, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Pugh’s Next Major Blockbuster Will Likely Be ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Pugh played a supporting role inDune: Part Two, which grossed over $700 million globally, and will likely have a more central role in the upcoming third installment of the franchise. Last year, she co-starred oppositeAndrew Garfieldin the acclaimed dramaWe Live in Time.She’ll probably extend her lead after appearing in the upcomingAvengers: Doomsday. Gosling, on the other hand, has made an overt pivot towards more mainstream fare after spending the early part of his career doing smaller projects.Barbiealone makes up for over $1.4 billion of his career box office haul. He has two major tent poles lined up;Phil LordandChris Miller’sProject Hail Mary, andShawn Levy’sStar Wars: Starfighter, the latter of which is slated for release in 2027. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Thunderbolts*
