Jonathan Bailey is the highest-grossing actor of 2025, but there is more competition regarding who could win the box office in 2026. After gaining recognition through his role as Fiyero in 2024’s Wicked, Bailey is having an even bigger 2025, with prominent roles in two of Universal’s biggest blockbusters: Jurassic World Rebirth and Wicked: For Good.
Rebirth is the fourth-biggest movie of the year, proving the Jurassic franchise isn’t extinct with $868.9 million worldwide. Wicked: For Good had an excellent opening weekend, and has reached $393.3 million globally. In total, Bailey’s films have earned $1.2 billion, and that number will only increase as Wicked 2 continues its theatrical run.
While Bailey’s position at the top of the box office may be surprising to some, he’s one of the few actors in 2025 who stacked up roles in major studio films. However, that isn’t the case next year, as several actors are starring in multiple blockbusters. Specifically, three actors have the best chance at winning the 2026 box office.
Tom Holland Has 2 Major Roles, And A Possible Avengers Appearance
Tom Holland could have the greatest month for an actor at the box office in July 2026. The Odyssey premieres on July 17, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day releases two weeks later on July 31. Both films have strong chances of joining the $1 billion club, which could put Holland’s box office in 2026 over $2 billion.
Brand New Day is guaranteed to make over $1 billion. The last two MCU Spider-Man films crossed that threshold, and No Way Home almost reached $2 billion. Superhero movies are more inconsistent at the box office than they used to be, but Spider-Man is the highest-grossing superhero and still has worldwide popularity.
The Odyssey is more of a question mark regarding its potential billion-dollar status, but it’s off to a good start. 70mm IMAX screenings sold out a year in advance, showing high anticipation for Christopher Nolan’s Greek epic. 2023’s Oppenheimer proved that Nolan gets audiences into theaters, even if it’s to see a 3-hour, R-rated biopic.
Another question for Holland is if he’s in Avengers: Doomsday. Holland wasn’t listed in the cast, but Kevin Feige has confirmed more characters will be revealed. If the actor returns as Spider-Man in Doomsday, it will easily give him the box office title in 2026, as it would add another $1 billion film to his total gross.
Pedro Pascal Could Win The 2026 Box Office Crown Through 2 Major Franchises
One of 2025’s busiest actors is Pedro Pascal, who starred in three films: Materialists, Eddington, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While he has one less movie lined up for next year, his roles are in films that will break the bank. He’s playing Reed Richards again in Doomsday, and returning to Star Wars in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Marvel doesn’t dominate the box office like it once did, but Doomsday will be a massive hit. It may not reach the box office heights of Infinity War and Endgame, but it will pass $1 billion and then some. Many are excited to see Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom in action, alongside many returning X-Men actors from the Fox universe.
Meanwhile, The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars film to hit theaters since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. While The Mandalorian is a massive hit on Disney+, it’s hard to determine how well it will perform at the box office. Hardcore Star Wars fans will show up, but it may not attract more casual viewers.
As Solo proved in 2018, not every Star Wars spinoff will be a mega hit. Similar to Holland, one of Pascal’s films is a guaranteed success, while the other is more of an unknown. His odds of winning the 2026 box office crown depend on how his Star Wars adventure performs worldwide.
Zendaya Could Build Her Box Office Total Through Spider-Man 4, The Odyssey, And Dune: Part 3
Zendaya and Holland are set up to be the box office power couple of 2026. Both actors will appear in Brand New Day and The Odyssey, though Zendaya’s role as MJ may be smaller than in previous Spider-Man films. However, the Challengers star has an advantage over her real-life partner, as she is also appearing in Dune: Part 3.
Zendaya is playing the Goddess of War, Athena in The Odyssey
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune franchise has been a success with critics and audiences, earning award nominations and wins, as well as impressive box office numbers. The second film outgrossed the first with $714.8 million worldwide, and the third chapter will likely build off this success, even if it doesn’t reach $1 billion.
Given this trio of films, Zendaya has the best chance at being the highest-grossing actor of 2026. It mainly depends on whether Holland is hiding a Spider-Man cameo in Doomsday. If Holland’s in the upcoming Avengers film, he could be set up for the greatest box office year of any actor. If not, then Zendaya will likely take next year’s crown.
