Thousands of movies are released each year worldwide, and some actors are just bankable, with dominant box office streaks. Considering that dramas, documentaries, and comedies are the three most common releases, it does make you think about who has had the most success at the box office.
Florence Annie Bridgwood was the third child born to theater actress Lotta Lawrence. Because Bridgwood spent time with her mother’s touring company, it’s not surprising that she became one of history’s first film stars, adopting her mother’s stage last name “Lawrence” in the process.
In 1907, Florence Lawrence’s first short film came out. “Daniel Boone: Pioneer Days in America” launched her career. Before her tragic suicide, she’d been in just shy of 300 movies. While she may not have realized her value to the film industry, she helped pave the way for the actors to dominate at the box office. Silent movies started it all.
In her time, the movie industry pushed actors to stay anonymous. Why? It was a way for production companies to avoid having to pay generous salaries. They wanted the money. Lawrence championed giving actors credit for their hard work and higher wages than production companies wanted to pay.
Lawrence eventually founded The Victor Company, becoming one of the first females to own a production company. Her accomplishments helped pave the way for today’s actors who also direct and produce movies while acting.
Who are the actors with the most dominant box office streaks? Our list takes a closer look at the top 25 who have seen major success over the years. (Explore them before you learn more about the highest-grossing movies of all time.)
To determine the actors with the most dominant box office streaks, 24/7 Tempo reviewed historical data on weekly box office performance from Box Office Mojo. Actors were ranked based on the number of consecutive two-year periods during which they had a movie that was No. 1 at the domestic box office for at least a week. Only movies for which an actor received top billing were included in the tally. Data on cast credits and billing is from IMDb. Box office data is for 1977 to 2023.
25. Bill Murray
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 6 years (1988 to 1993)
- Streak start: Scrooged (1988)
- Streak end: Groundhog Day (1993)
24. Matt Damon
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 6 years (2011 to 2016)
- Streak start: Contagion (2011)
- Streak end: Jason Bourne (2016)
23. Chris Pratt
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 6 years (2014 to 2019)
- Streak start: The Lego Movie (2014)
- Streak end: The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
22. Mike Myers
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 6 years (1999 to 2004)
- Streak start: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
- Streak end: Shrek 2 (2004)
21. Will Smith
N/A
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 6 years (2003 to 2008)
- Streak start: Bad Boys II (2003)
- Streak end: Hancock (2008)
20. Harrison Ford
N/A
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 6 years (1989 to 1994)
- Streak start: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- Streak end: Clear and Present Danger (1994)
19. Owen Wilson
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 7 years (2005 to 2011)
- Streak start: Wedding Crashers (2005)
- Streak end: Cars 2 (2011)
18. Robin Williams
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 7 years (1993 to 1999)
- Streak start: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- Streak end: Patch Adams (1999)
17. Johnny Depp
N/A
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 7 years (2001 to 2007)
- Streak start: From Hell (2001)
- Streak end: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
16. Patrick Stewart
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 7 years (1994 to 2000)
- Streak start: Star Trek: Generations (1994)
- Streak end: X-Men (2000)
15. Liam Neeson
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 7 years (2009 to 2015)
- Streak start: Taken (2009)
- Streak end: Taken 3 (2015)
14. Eddie Murphy
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 7 years (1984 to 1990)
- Streak start: Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- Streak end: Another 48 Hrs. (1990)
13. Jim Carrey
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 7 years (1994 to 2000)
- Streak start: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
- Streak end: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
12. Robert Downey Jr.
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 8 years (2008 to 2015)
- Streak start: Iron Man (2008)
- Streak end: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
11. Ben Affleck
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 8 years (2010 to 2017)
- Streak start: The Town (2010)
- Streak end: Justice League (2017)
10. Bruce Willis
N/A
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 8 years (1993 to 2000)
- Streak start: Striking Distance (1993)
- Streak end: The Whole Nine Yards (2000)
9. Daniel Radcliffe
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 9 years (2001 to 2009)
- Streak start: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
- Streak end: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
8. Vin Diesel
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 9 years (2009 to 2017)
- Streak start: Fast & Furious (2009)
- Streak end: The Fate of the Furious (2017)
7. Ben Stiller
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 9 years (2004 to 2012)
- Streak start: Along Came Polly (2004)
- Streak end: Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012)
6. Denzel Washington
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 10 years (1998 to 2007)
- Streak start: He Got Game (1998)
- Streak end: American Gangster (2007)
5. Arnold Schwarzenegger
N/A
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 10 years (1982 to 1991)
- Streak start: Conan the Barbarian (1982)
- Streak end: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
4. Dwayne Johnson
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 18: Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock attends the UK Premiere of Black Adam at Cineworld Leicester Square on October 18, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for Warner Bros. )
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 10 years (2013 to 2022)
- Streak start: G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
- Streak end: Black Adam (2022)
3. Adam Sandler
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 11 years (2002 to 2012)
- Streak start: Mr. Deeds (2002)
- Streak end: Hotel Transylvania (2012)
2. Tom Cruise
N/A
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 11 years (1996 to 2006)
- Streak start: Mission: Impossible (1996)
- Streak end: Mission: Impossible III (2006)
1. Mel Gibson
- Consecutive biennia with No. 1 movie: 16 years (1987 to 2002)
- Streak start: Lethal Weapon (1987)
- Streak end: Signs (2002)