New Delhi, Jan. 13 -- Actor Zoe Saldaña has moved to the top of Hollywood's cumulative box office rankings, becoming the highest-grossing actor globally after the strong theatrical run of Avatar: Fire and Ash. Industry trackers estimate that films featuring Saldaña in leading roles have now generated over $16.8 billion worldwide, pushing her ahead of Scarlett Johansson, who previously held the position.

The milestone underscores the commercial power of franchise-led cinema and Saldaña's rare positioning at the centre of multiple billion-dollar properties. Her box office standing is driven largely by three tentpole franchises: Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Trek.

With Avatar: Fire and Ash crossing the $1.2 billi...