How Much Has Zoe SaldaƱa Made from the āAvatarā Movies? Inside the Actress' 16 Years with the Franchise
- - How Much Has Zoe SaldaƱa Made from the āAvatarā Movies? Inside the Actress' 16 Years with the Franchise
Christopher RudolphJanuary 14, 2026 at 9:10 PM
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Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; 20th Century Studios
Zoe SaldaƱa ; 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' (2025) -
In January 2026, Zoe SaldaƱa became the highest-grossing actor of all time at the global box office
She has starred in all three Avatar movies since the franchise debuted in December 2009
The actress has said being part of Avatar has been "a gift"
Avatar: Fire and Ash has set the box office ablaze since it hit theaters in December 2025.
Thanks to the success of the latest chapter in James Cameron's sci-fi epic, one of the film's stars, Zoe SaldaƱa, has become the highest-grossing actor of all time at the global box office. According to the box office website The Numbers' most list, she has a combined estimated box office gross of over $15.4 billion.
Not only has her role in Avatar propelled her to the top of the list, but so have her parts in other blockbuster franchises such as Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers.
The Oscar winner also holds the special distinction of having starred in three of the all-time top-grossing films: Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water and Avengers: Endgame.
SaldaƱa has called being part of the Avatar universe, "a gift" ā a world she plans to be a part of for years to come, with her signing on for Avatar 4 and Avatar 5. On Jan. 13, the actress posted an Instagram video in which she expressed her "sincerest gratitude for the extraordinary journey" that led her to the career milestone.
"An achievement made possible entirely, entirely by the incredible franchises and the collaborators that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of,ā she added.
So, how much has Zoe SaldaƱa made from the Avatar franchise? Here's what to know about her work in the film series.
How many Avatar movies has Zoe SaldaƱa starred in?
Twentieth Century Fox
'Avatar' (2009)
SaldaƱa has played the Na'vi warrior Neytiri in all three Avatar movies: Avatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025).
In a February 2025 Deadline interview, SaldaƱa confirmed that she had signed on for the next two sequels: Avatar 4 and Avatar 5.
"It's a gift to to be able to revisit a character that has given me so much," she told the outlet. "To revisit a place that has been so magical, not just for me, but for so many people in the world."
The actress continued, "We're talking about communities in the Amazon were able to see Avatar, and they were moved by the stories that Jim [Cameron] was saying, and how they felt represented in the story that Jim was conveying."
"That's beautiful to be a part of something so impactful," SaldaƱa added.
How much have the Avatar movies made?
20th Century Studios
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' (2025)
The three Avatar movies have made a combined global box office total of more than $6.3 billion ā and counting ā according to a January 2026 press release from Walt Disney Studios.
The number will increase as Avatar: Fire and Ash continues its box office reign. The film has been the top draw at theaters since its release in December 2025, passing the $1 billion mark at the global box office two weeks after its premiere.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is director Cameron's latest success, while 2009's Avatar is still the highest-grossing film of all time with $2.9 billion in global ticket sales, according to Reuters.
How much has Zoe SaldaƱa made from the Avatar franchise?
20th Century Studios 'Avatar: The Way of Water' (2022)
SaldaƱa's salary for the Avatar films has not been confirmed.
However, when she and her costar Sam Worthington agreed to reprise their roles for the Avatar sequels in 2014, the actors received "new deals" that were similar to their previous ones, Deadline reported.
Years before, when SaldaƱa and Worthington first committed to Avatar, they signed on for "possible future installments," according to The Hollywood Reporter in 2007.
"If we make money, I guarantee there will be more," Cameron said, per the outlet. "If we donāt, weāll pretend it never happened."
What has Zoe SaldaƱa said about continuing the Avatar movie franchise?
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
Zoe SaldaƱa on December 1, 2025 in Hollywood, California
Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 are planned, and SaldaƱa is set to appear in both.
Some of Avatar 4 was already shot concurrently with Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash, and while the cast and crew wait to officially hear when they will be returning to Pandora once more, SaldaƱa said she is ready for Cameron's call.
"As long as the fans keep connecting to this, and they keep wanting it to come back, then we will continue to do that," SaldaƱa told Entertainment Tonight in December 2025, when asked about coming back for the sequels. "With, obviously, the support of Disney."
SaldaƱa is signed on for the next two Avatar movies ā as she told Deadline in February 2025 ā if they do move forward. Avatar 4 currently has a planned December 2029 release, while Avatar 5 is slated for December 2031.
On Jan. 13, the actress thanked Cameron "for believing [in] my potential, for seeing something in me that I have not always seen in myself and for challenging me to always rise to the occasion." In her Instagram video, SaldaƱa also shared her appreciation for other directors she has worked with and for fans' "unwavering support."
on People
Source: āAOL Entertainmentā
