Raw box office totals are a very open measure of an actor star power. Over the past 15 years, franchises and IP have done more and more of the heavy lifting, often overshadowing individual performers. An actor can also be the second or third lead, making it difficult to trust him with every dollar a film earns. Many movie goers turn out for it Avengersnot necessarily for any cast member. As a result, it is difficult to determine exactly what is driving audiences.
To get a better sense of value in this highly subjective area, Analytics GreenlightThe DNA Talent Tracker asks the audience a simple question: Would you see a movie in theaters if this person was in it? Across follow-up waves covering hundreds of actors and hundreds of thousands of responses, four distinct types star power begin to crystallize.
Genre contractors
This category includes actors who are widely known but have particularly strong appeal within specific types of films. Among the top ranked names in Theatrical Intent are 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 the decades. While their careers span a wide range of roles, each has managed to thrive in a distinct lane.
Washington is often the center of ethically ambiguous crime dramas. Fans love Jackson’s affinity for action genre films. Chan is arguably the most famous martial arts star in cinematic history. Neeson began the “old man act” tendency..
Washington’s work has earned an estimated $5 billion worldwide during his career. But it is the remarkable durability of his three Equalizer films – all grossing between $190 million and $192 million worldwide – that’s the best illustration of his staying power in the genre. The biggest hit of his career at the box office (not adjusted for inflation), Gladiator IIit is not even his exclusivity; instead, his acclaimed supporting performance added weight to a legacy legacy without its original star. Fans love Denzel and that love takes on different shades that manifest in ticket sales.
The platform draws
The magnetic pull of some actors extends across platforms. The audience likes to watch them not only in cinemas but also at home. Brad Pitt (49.1 percent Theatrical Intent) is an excellent contemporary example. F1: The movie ($634 million worldwide) was the highest-grossing “original” film of 2025, but it was rooted in a popular sport with global appeal. Alignment between Pitt’s star power and a familiar concept helped propel the film, which flopped as a tentacle for adults without the franchise’s traditional underpinnings.
Adam Sandler (47.7 percent Theatrical Intent, 55.9 percent Broadcast Intent) also thrives in this lane. His animated hit Leo (224.1 million views) and Happy Gilmore 2 (135.1 million) are among Netflix’s most popular original movies in the last three years.
Washington also fits this category. His Broadcast Aim (65.9 percent) is eight points higher than his already elite Theatrical Aim. His audience will follow him anywhere, and that’s likely why Netflix felt comfortable paying him a reported $35 million for the next game Here Comes the Flood.
The developing layer
This category speaks for itself: younger, rising stars who are establishing themselves through major lead and original roles or new material on screen. Michael B. Jordan may be the most enlightening case study at the moment, with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya also established part of conversation.
Jordan’s field goal score of nearly 49 percent puts him ahead Harrison FordLiam Neeson and many others. Its Fandom score of 72.6 percent indicates a deep-seated appeal to broad audiences, built over two decades of work in film and television. On paper, it already looks like a fully formed star, and the data increasingly supports that view.
Creed III ($276 million on a $75 million budget) showed that he could expand the audience of an existing franchise. But sinner ($370 million worldwide) is the real test: an original film in which he appears in almost every scene, playing two distinct characters, that became both a box office hit and an Oscar winner. The lineage of director Ryan Coogler and the genre of the film certainly contributed, but the results suggest that audiences will turn out for a project directed by Michael B. Jordan.
Elsewhere on the spectrum they are Keke Palmer (48.7 percent Theatrical Intent) and Hailee Steinfeld (42.8 percent), who represent developing stars of various types. Both have worked steadily for years, but Palmer’s appeal spans more broadly across demographics and is more akin to that of established genre performers. The success of her original comedy The days of one of them ($50 million domestic on a $14 million budget) is a major feather in her cap.
Steinfeld’s audience scores are slightly lower, but remarkably stable. With roles for everyone transformer, Marvel (both live-action and animated), and the adjacent video game Secretit has developed a strong following among fans of the franchise and genre. Neither actress has yet had the opportunity to fully prove her draw with a successful original film. (Give us the Keke Palmer/Hailee Steinfeld horror two-hander we deserve.)
Last words
These levels are not in competition with each other. A Genre Contractor isn’t inherently more useful than a Prestige Draw, and actors aren’t limited to a single category during their careers. Denzel Washington was a top-tier leader long ago The equalizerand Brad Pitt was a popular movie star long ago F1.
This framework is not about which actors have generated more income at the box office. It’s about the relationship each star has cultivated with the audience and how that connection translates into adoration and potential.
