This page is going to look at the Top 15 Actors in Dual Iconic Roles…..using domestic adjusted box office grosses for their rankings in the Top 15. Like all things in life…I had to set up some rules for an actor or actress to be eligible to make the list.
Rule 1: Actor/Actress had to play the role a minimum of 2 movies each….sorry Hugh Jackman, the Wolverine movies are popular….but you can’t join the list until you find another iconic movie franchise.
Rule 2: Voice roles in computer animated were excluded from the list….sorry Mike Myers…yes you have the Austin Powers movies but Shrek does not get you in.
Rule 3: Role must be iconic. The definition of iconic is “Of, relating to, or having the character of an icon”…..sorry Morgan Freeman we will give you credit for playing Lucius Fox in the Dark Knight trilogy….but your Dr. Cameron McCarthy role in the Dolphin Tale movies falls a little short of iconic.
Rule 4: Cameos do not help an actor/actress fulfill Rule 1…..sorry Gary Oldman…..yes you have big parts in the Dark Knight trilogy…but most of your Harry Potter movies fall into the cameo category. Same thought process kept Samuel L. Jackson out as well…with regards to his Marvel movies and Star Wars movies.
So now that the rules are out of the way…lets look at the Top 15 Dual Iconic Role Actors.
15th Place – Eddie Murphy- Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.46 Billion From 5 Movies
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $557.34 million
- Beverly Hills Cop 2 (1987) $389.32 million
- Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) $84.61 million
Beverly Hills Cop Movies Domestic Adjusted Box Office $1031.27 million or $1.03 billion
- The Nutty Professor (1996) $241.89 million
- The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000) $189.88 million
Nutty Professor Movies Domestic Adjusted Box Office $431.77million
Total of 5 movies $1,463,040,000 billion.
14th Place – Clint Eastwood- Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.467 Billion From 7 Movies
- Dirty Harry (1971) $214.90 million
- Magnum Force (1973) $205.00 million
- The Enforcer (1976) $204.40 million
- Sudden Impact (1983) $184.60 million
- The Dead Pool (1988) $74.70 million
Dirty Harry Movies Adjusted Box Office $883.60 million
- Every Which Way But Loose (1978) $295.60 million
- Any Which Way You Can (1980) $288.50 million
Philo Beddoe Movies Adjusted Box Office $584.10 million
Total of 7 movies $1,467,700,000 billion.
13th Place – Sigourney Weaver – Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.47 Billion From 6 Movies
- Alien (1979) $261.05 million
- Aliens (1986) $190.52 million
- Alien 3 (1992) $110.94 million
- Alien Resurrection (1997) $86.42 million
Alien Movies Adjusted Box Office $648.93 million
- Ghostbusters (1984) $590.63 million
- Ghostbusters 2 (1989) $235.19 million
Ghostbusters Movies Adjusted Box Office $825.82 million
Total of 6 movies $1,474,750,000 billion
12th Place – Jennifer Lawrence – Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.56 Billion From 5 Movies
- The Hunger Games (2012) $421.95 million
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) $424.25 million
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) $337.13 million
Hunger Game Movies Adjusted Box Office $1183.33 million
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2013) $233.07 million
- X-Men: First Class (2011) $150.93 million
X-Men Movies Adjusted Box Office $384.00 million
Total of 5 movies $1,567,733,000 billion.
11th Place – Patrick Stewart – Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.57 Billion From 8 Movies
- Star Trek: Generations (1994) $149.77 million
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996) $172.15 million
- Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) $121.99 million
- Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) $61.09 million
Star Trek: Next Generation Movies Adjusted Box Office $505.00 million
- X-Men (2000) 242.22 million
- X2: X-Men United (2002) $295.86 million
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) $296.97 million
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2013) $233.07 million
X-Men Movies Adjusted Box Office $1068.12 million or 1.06 billion
Total of 8 movies $1,573,120,000 billion
10th Place – Mickey Rooney – Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.64 Billion From 18 Movies
- A Family Affair (1937) $26.0 million
- Your Only Young Once (1937) $25.2 million
- Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) $108.00 million
- Judge Hardy’s Children (1938) $38.20 million
- Out West With The Hardys (1938) $103.90 million
- Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939) $99.90 million
- The Hardys Ride High (1939) $95.80 million
- Judge Hardy and Son (1939) $91.80 million
- Andy Hardy Meets The Debutante (1940) $124.20 million
- Life Begins For Andy Hardy (1941) $107.20 million
- Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary (1941) $97.40 million
- Courtship of Andy Hardy (1942) $95.80 million
- Andy Hardy’s Double Life (1942) $109.60 million
- Andy Hardy’s Blonde Trouble (1944) $95.00 million
- Love Laughs At Andy Hardy (1946) $84.40 million
- Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958) $12.20 million
Andy Hardy Movies Adjusted Box Office $1314.60 million or $1.31 billion
- Boy’s Town (1938) $198.10 million
- Men of Boy’s Town (1941) $137.20 million
Boys Town Movies Adjusted Box Office $335.30 million
Total of 18 movies $1,649,900,000 billion.
9th Place – Joe Pesci – Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.73 Billion From 5 Movies
- Home Alone (1990) $562.19 million
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) $347.35 million
Home Alone Movies Adjusted Box Office $909.54 million
- Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) $307.86 million
- Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) $289.46 million
- Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) $230.85 million
Lethal Weapon Movies Adjusted Box Office $828.17 million
Total of 5 movies $1,737,710,000 billion.
8th Place – Bing Crosby – Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.87 Billion From 9 Movies
- Road to Singapore (1940) $105.60 million
- Road to Zanzibar (1941) $123.40 million
- Road to Morocco (1942) $246.00 million
- Road to Utopia (1945) $236.30 million
- Road to Rio (1947) $217.60 million
- Road to Bali (1952) $97.40 million
- Road to Hong Kong (1962) $61.70 million
“Road to” Movies Adjusted Box Office $1088.00 million or $1.08 billion
- Going My Way (1944) $363.00 million
- The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) $420.60 million
Father Chuck O’Malley Movies Adjusted Box Office $783.60 million
Total of 9 movies $1,871,600,000 billion.
7th Place – Chris Evans- Adjusted Box Office Gross $1.89 Billion From 6 Movies
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) $184.68 million
- Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) $637.17 million
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) $258.83 million
- Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) $454.19 million
Captain America Movies Domestic Adjusted Box Office $1534.87 million or $1.53 billion
- Fantastic Four (2005) $200.30 million
- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) $159.14 million
Fantastic Four Movies Domestic Adjusted Box Office $359.44 million
Total of 6 movies $1,894,310,000 billion.
6th Place – Natalie Portman – Adjusted Box Office Gross $2.07 Billion From 5 Movies
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) $749.59 million
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) $443.78 million
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) $492.34 million
Star Wars Movies Adjusted Box Office $1685.71 million or $1.68 billion
- Thor (2011) 186.47 million
- Thor: A Dark World (2013) $205.34 million
Thor Movies Adjusted Box Office $391.81 million
Total of 5 movies $2,077,520,000 billion.
5th Place – Sylvester Stallone. – Adjusted Box Office Gross $2.19 Billion From 10 Movies
- Rocky (1976) $456.83 million
- Rocky II (1979) $281.67 million
- Rocky III (1982) $352.86 million
- Rocky IV (1985) $293.71 million
- Rocky V (1990) $80.34 million
- Rocky Balboa (2006) $87.04 million
Rocky Movies Adjusted Box Office $1552.42 million or $1.55 billion
- First Blood (1982) 133.28 million
- Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $351.67 million
- Rambo III (1988) $108.47 million
- Rambo (2008) $49.42 million
Rambo Movies Adjusted Box Office $642.84 million
Total of 10 movies $2,195,260,000 billion
4th Place – Robert Downey, Jr. – Adjusted Box Office Gross $2.15 Billion From 7 Movies
- Iron Man (2008) $368.06 million
- Iron Man 2 (2010) $326.18 million
- Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) $637.17million
- Iron Man 3 (2013) $405.10 million
- Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) $454.19 million
Iron Man Movies Adjusted Box Office $2190.70 million or $2.19 billion
- Sherlock Holmes (2009) 222.99 million
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) $197.13 million
Sherlock Holmes Movies Adjusted Box Office $420.12 million
Total of 7 movies $2,610,820,000 billion.
3rd Place – Orlando Bloom – Adjusted Box Office Gross $3.29 Billion From 8 Movies
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) $454.83 million
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) $479.11 million
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $511.60 million
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) $261.57 million
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) $255.11 million
Legolas Movies Adjusted Box Office $1962.22 million or $1.96 billion
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) 420.38 million
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) $536.41 million
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) $373.28 million
Pirates of the Caribbean Movies Adjusted Box Office $1330.00 million or $1.33 billion
Total of 8 movies $3,292,290,000 billion
2nd Place – Ian McKellan – Adjusted Box Office Gross $3.34 Billion From 10 Movies
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) $454.83 million
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) $479.11 million
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $511.60 million
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) $314.03 million
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) $261.57 million
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) $255.11 million
Gandolf Movies Adjusted Box Office $2276.25 million or $2.27 billion
- X-Men (2000) 242.22 million
- X2: X-Men United (2002) $295.86 million
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) $296.97 million
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2013) $233.07 million
X-Men Movies Adjusted Box Office $1068.12 million or 1.06 billion
Total of 10 movies $3,344,370,000 billion
1st Place – Harrison Ford – Adjusted Box Office Gross $5.03 Billion From 7 Movies
- Star Wars (1977) $1,478.39 million or $1.47 billion
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $814.89 million
- Return of the Jedi (1983) $780.69 million
Star Wars Movies Adjusted Box Office $3073.97 million or $3.07 billion
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) $734.77 million
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $444.32 million
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $410.15 million
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) $366.56 million
Indiana Jones Movies Adjusted Box Office $1958.80 million or 1.95 billion
Total of 7 movies $5,032,770,000 billion
Those that almost made the cut for the Top 15 Actors in Dual Iconic Roles…many came from the comment section – Anita, Soren and Timlin suggested people that made the Top 15
- Ben Stiller/Owen Wilson – Night at the Museum & Meet the Parents movies – $1.39 billion in adjusted box office
- Bruce Willis – Die Hard and Look Who’s Talking movies – $1.18 billion in adjusted box office
- Mel Gibson – Lethal Weapon and Mad Max movies – $1.15 billion in adjusted box office
- Keanu Reeves – Matrix and Bill & Ted movies – $1.01 billion in adjusted box office
- Arnold – Terminator and Conan movies – $0.90 billion in adjusted box office
- Sandra Bullock – Speed and Miss Congeniality movies – $0.54 billion in adjusted box office
- Anthony Hopkins – Hannibal and Thor movies – $1.02 billion in adjusted box office
- Vin Diesel – Fast & Furious and Pitch Black movies – $1.20 billion but moving up fast with Furious 7 success
- Steve Guttenberg – Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby movies – $970.96 million
- Burt Reynolds – Cannonball Run and Smokey and the Bandit movies – $970.02 million
- Barbra Streisand – Funny Girl and Focker movies – $1.04 billion
- Matt Damon – Ocean’s Eleven and Bourne movies – $1257.95 million or $1.25 billion
- Diane Keaton – Godfather and Father of the Bride movies – $1320.62 million or $1.32 billion
- Michael Caine – Dark Knight and Harry Palmer movies – $1321.20 million or $1.32 billion
- Emilio Estevez – Mighty Ducks and Young Gun movies – $406.72 million
- Jackie Chan – Rush Hour and Shanghai movies – $919.66 million
- Jason Statham – Expendables, Transporter and Crank movies – $418.37 million
- Sean Connery – James Bond Movies and Highlander Movies – has the box office $2.03 billion but Bond does all the heavy lifting in box office and iconic value….Highlander sinks the boat
- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – Furious and Mummy movies – $1122.90 million
Final thought: I am sure that I missed somebody that would knock Chris Evans out of the Top 15. If you have a possible Top 15 contender please leave a comment…and I will see if they crack the Top 15.
I love the Godfather but the only person I can think that was in another franchise was Diane Keaton in Father of the Bride. Also I think Natalie Portman could replace Eddie Murphy. This list needs more women.
Just came up with a couple more possibilities. Babs Streisand Funny Girl and Focker movies. Matt Damon for Bourne and Ocean’s Eleven. And Sigourney Weaver for Alien and Ghostbusters?
Hey Anita C….very cool….you already got one….can you get two…Babs…2 Funny Girl movies….$527 million….2 Focker movies…..$517.2 million….grand total of $1044.2 million or $1.04 billion. Billion dollar club but not enough to make the page.
Matt Damon…..3 Bourne movies….$683.77 million….3 Ocean’s 11 movies…..$574.18 million….grand total of $1257.95 million or $1.25 billion….once again a hefty number but not enough to make the Top 10
Sigourney Weaver….2 Ghostbusters movies $825.82 million….4 Alien movies….$651.66 million….for a grand total of $1477.48 million …which bumps Clint Eastwood out of the Top Ten…and puts Sigourney in 10th place…..I am impressed…..you got two people over the ones I picked…..job well done. I will probably add Sigourney and Natalie tomorrow….that is assuming Sigourney can hold onto the 10th spot
Very nice. Glad I got one right. Sigourney is a nice fit with all of these iconic. Her Ripley and Dana Barrett roles have always been favorites of mine.
Hey AnitaC….trying to get some more ladies on the list….Keaton and The Godfather…I did not think about her at all….let’s see….3 Godfather movies…$997.36 million….2 Father of the Brides…$323.26 for a grand total of $1320.62 million….$1.32 billion…pretty close but not close enough.
Natalie Portman? Star Wars and Thor….I wished that one too…..good catches. 3 Star Wars movies…$1685.76 million…..2 Thor movies….$391.81 million…for a grand total of $2077.57 million or $2.07 billion…..we have a winner….that would knock Eddie out of the Top Ten…and put Natalie in 6th place. Good job….I whiffed on her for sure. I will add her to the page after I check all of these other requests.
Yeah I got two right. Glad Natalie has some box office weight to make the Top Ten. I do question if either role is iconic or not. Her Padme is closer to iconic than her supporting role in the Thor movies. Poor Diane I thought I had a winner there. Actually between Diane, Natalie, Babs and Sigourney I thought Diane was the most likely. Thanks for a fun page.
Hey Congrats on getting Natalie Portman and Sigourney Weaver. I think you are correct Weaver should and will be added to the list….while Portman has the box office dollars but not the iconic part especially her Thor part…I think a good rule of them to determine iconic status….do you know the character name….I liked the Thor movies….but I have no idea what her name is …Annie? is my guess…was I right….let me look….nope it is Jane Foster. Maybe comic book fans know that name….but not movie fans. Thanks for putting on your thinking cap and getting Sigourney on the list.
I have a couple of suggestions. How about Burt Reynolds from Smokey and the Bandit and the Cannonball Run movies. Steve Guttenberg from a ton of Police Academy movies and Three Men and a Baby movies. Overall very interesting list. Your rule of having them appear in the role more than once limits so many quality performers.
Thanks for the suggestions Neat. Let’s see….Mr. Guttenberg…4 Police Academy Movies for $487.62 million and 2 Three Men and a Baby/Little Lady movies for $483.34 for a grand total of $970.96 million…almost the billion dollar club….but not enough to knock off Eddie.
Turning to good ole Burt….3 Smokey movies for $690.72 and 2 Cannonball movies for $279.30 million for a total off $970.02…..Eddie lives again.
Jackie Chan Rush Hour/Shanghai Noon/Knights
Sorry Bryan….Chan’s 3 Rush Hour movies and 2 Shanghai movies do not even reach a billion….$919.66 million.
I did not think it was possible to make $919.66 million seem irrelevant.
Hey Bryan…in this case $919.66 million does not make the cut
I accept your facebook challenge. How about Mickey Rooney? He made 14 Andy Hardy movies and he was in it least 2 Night at the Musuem movies. He might even challenge Harrison Ford and his 5 billion dollar mark.
Hey Timlin33…..hmmmm….well I could argue that Mickey Rooney in Night at the Musuem is not an iconic role….but I will figure out Rooney’s Andy Hardy grosses and have to get back with you with those numbers….I wonder how much those 14 Hardy movies did gross? Thanks for giving this one some thought.
Got some stats for you Timlin….Rooney made 16 Andy Hardy movies….here are the adjusted box office
#1 A Family Affair (1937) Domestic $26.0 million Worldwide $34.9 million
#2 Your Only Young Once (1937) Domestic $25.2 million Worldwide $46.0 million
#3 Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) Domestic $108.00 million Worldwide $126.7 million
#4 Judge Hardy’s Children (1938) Domestic $38.20 million Worldwide $59.3 million
#5 Out West With The Hardys (1938) Domestic $103.90 million Worldwide $145.3 million
#6 Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939) Domestic $99.90 million Worldwide $138.10 million
#7 The Hardys Ride High (1939) Domestic $95.80 million Worldwide $136.40 million
#8 Judge Hardy and Son (1939) Domestic $91.80 million Worldwide $130.00 million
#9 Andy Hardy Meets The Debutante (1940) Domestic $124.20 million Worldwide $167.20 million
#10 Life Begins For Andy Hardy (1941) Domestic $107.20 million Worldwide $159.20 million
#11 Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary (1941) Domestic $97.40 million Worldwide $153.40 million
#12 Courtship of Andy Hardy (1942) Domestic $95.80 million Worldwide $148.60 million
#13 Andy Hardy’s Double Life (1942) Domestic $109.60 million Worldwide $162.40 million
#14 Andy Hardy’s Blonde Trouble (1944) Domestic $95.00 million Worldwide $136.40 million
#15 Love Laughs At Andy Hardy (1946) Domestic $84.40 million Worldwide $121.80 million
#16 Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958) Domestic $12.20 million Worldwide $18.70 million
Ok Timlin…..that gives the 16 Andy Hardy movies $1314.60 in adjusted box office gross….and if we give Rooney credit for 2 Night at the Musuems….that is $420.77 million….for a grand total of $1735.37 million or $1.73 billion….that would be enough to crack the Top Ten…..BUT….there is no way Rooney role in Night is iconic…plus in the second one….he does a cameo….so based on those two things….I can not see putting Rooney on the list…..but kudos to you for coming up with Rooney as a possibility.
Hey it is your list you can do whatever you want. But what about all of those kids that fell in love with his cranky but lovable character in musuem 1 and 3? Actually I did not even know he was in the latest one until a few weeks ago.
Thanks for all the Andy Hardy stats. Those 16 movies generated some nice coin. So where did you find this information? Worldwide stats for movies in the 1930s?
Hey Timlin….I think I found enough stats on Andy Hardy movies…..that I could do a movie page just on that movie series. 16 movies starring the same guy in the same role …that would be like Harry Potter movies times two.
Hey Timlin…..debating if I should include the performers that topped Murphy’s box office total. Too bad he did not have another iconic role to go with his Andy Hardy …….but the brain just started working……Rooney might have two Boy’s Town movies……interesting.
Glad to see you have included Mickey in the list. I forgot all about that he played Whitey two times in the Boys Town movies.
Will Smith MIB/Bad Boys
Tommy Lee Jones MIB/Fugitive, US Marshalls
Hey Bryan…Will Smith’s 3 Men In Black movies and 2 Bad Boys movies come up to $1.22 Billion…not enough to knock Eddie Murphy from the 10th spot.
Hey Bryan….Tommy Lee Jones is the closest one yet…his 3 Men In Black movies and 2 Fugitive movies come up to $1.37 billion….or about 100K more to go…..nice try.