2026 Box Office Battle: Who Will Beat Robert Downey Jr?
Robert Downey Jr.'s $100 million Doctor Doom contract positions him as 2026's top earner, but several A-listers are ready to challenge his box office dominance with major franchise returns.
Robert Downey Jr. returns to Marvel as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday with a massive $100 mn paycheck. The film could easily surpass $2 bn worldwide, matching Infinity War and Endgame's success. But Downey Jr. won't have the box office to himself in 2026.
Several major stars are positioned to compete for the year's biggest earnings. These actors have lined up multiple high-profile projects that could generate serious revenue. Here's who might challenge Downey Jr.'s expected dominance.
The Rock and Momoa Lead Action Pack
Dwayne Johnson returns to two proven franchises. The live-action Moana remake builds on the animated sequel's $1.059 bn success from 2024. Johnson also reprises his role in the third Jumanji film, following the franchise's $1.7 bn total earnings.
Jason Momoa appears in multiple big-budget releases. He plays Lobo in Milly Alcock's Supergirl and joins the Street Fighter adaptation alongside Noah Centineo. Momoa also returns as Duncan Idaho in Dune: Part Three, continuing the franchise that earned $1.12 bn across two films.
Marvel Veterans Make Their Mark
Tom Holland swings back as Spider-Man in Brand New Day, the follow-up to No Way Home's $1.9 bn haul. Holland also joins Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey as Telemachus, banking on the director's Oppenheimer momentum.
Florence Pugh reprises Yelena Belova in Avengers: Doomsday after her Thunderbolts debut. She also returns as Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Three. Pedro Pascal continues as Reed Richards from The Fantastic Four: First Steps into the Avengers film, plus stars in The Mandalorian & Grogu movie.
Franchise Queens Take Center Stage
Zendaya appears in the most high-profile releases. She reunites with Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and plays Athena in The Odyssey. Zendaya also returns as Chani in Dune: Part Three and stars opposite Robert Pattinson in The Drama.
Anya Taylor-Joy voices Princess Peach again in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, following the original's $1 bn success. She also reprises Alia Atreides in the third Dune installment. Anne Hathaway leads The Devil Wears Prada sequel and appears in The Odyssey's ensemble cast.
Robert Pattinson joins multiple major projects including The Odyssey and Dune: Part Three, where he might play villain Scytale. Even Benny Safdie could see significant earnings from The Odyssey and voicing Bowser Jr. in the Mario sequel.