Natalie Portman made her return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Love and Thunder. The film’s critical reception was positive, particularly towards Portman’s performance as Jane Foster. Thor: Love and Thunder is certain to become one of the actress’ biggest hits, but she already has a long list of box office hits.
Box Office Mojo has followed Portman’s film performances, with plenty of raking in the big bucks. These range from franchises like the MCU and star wars low-budget films like cold mountain which have always become hits with the public. It’s interesting to see which of its credits list ranks among the features viewers have connected with the most.
ten V for Vendetta (2006) – $132.5 million
Stream on HBO Max
Natalie Portman got her first real chance to prove herself as a box office draw with V for Vendetta, which heavily marketed her as a lead actor. The story is about a series of anarchist activities in a dystopian future led by a masked revolutionary known as V, with Portman’s character involved in V’s mission.
V for Vendetta more than doubled its budget to finish at $132.5 million (according to Box Office Mojo), also becoming a cult favorite to this day. Critics generally enjoyed Portman wearing the film with Hugo Weaving’s V, with audiences turning up to watch despite minor controversy over the subject.
9 Unconditional (2011) – $149.2 million
Stream on Paramount+
Ranked among the best films by director Ivan Reitman, No strings attached saw Natalie Portman play against type. His venture into rom-com territory proved successful, with the film grossing $149.2 million (according to Box Office Mojo) amid praise for his chemistry with Ashton Kutcher.
No strings attached has a simple premise that the main characters engage in casual romance until they inevitably fall in love for real. The film was a bigger hit at the US box office, grossing half of its domestic revenue to show that Portman was a real draw with American audiences.
8 Cold Mountain (2003) – $173 million
Stream on HBO Max
cold mountain is about Jude Law’s character, WP Inman, a Confederate Army deserter at the end of the American Civil War who travelsss the country to go home. Natalie Portman has a supporting role as a young widow and mother who shelters Inman and aids him in his quest.
cold mountain was a big hit at the US box office, earning $95 million of its final $173 million domestically (according to Box Office Mojo). Portman doesn’t have the most screen time in the movie, but she’s part of the cast that sold the film’s appeal to viewers who eventually saw it.
seven Heat (1995) – $187.4 million
Stream on Fubo TV
It’s easy to forget Natalie Portman’s involvement in Heat given the presence of heavyweights like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the lead roles. However, she plays a pivotal role in Al Pacino’s character, playing the role of his daughter-in-law who he struggles to connect with.
Heat is considered one of the influential films in the crime drama genre, becoming a hit with a final gross of $187.4 million (according to Box Office Mojo). Being one of Portman’s first films on the big screen, the actress left a mark in an iconic film that set her up for future success.
6 Black Swan (2010) – $329.4 million
Stream to Amazon Prime Video
It is common to see Black Swanis one of the best films starring Natalie Portman, especially since it was the film that won her the Oscar for best actress. The story chronicles her character’s descent into darkness as she becomes obsessed with becoming the lead ballerina on her show.
Black Swan proved to be a surprise hit worldwide, grossing $329.4 million on a budget of $13 million (according to Box Office Mojo). Its selling factor was Portman’s performance, which received rave reviews and impressed both critics and viewers. Black Swan remains the actress’ biggest non-franchise film.
5 Thor (2011) – $449.3 million
Stream on Disney+
The MCU Wasn’t At The Peak Of Its Success When Thor came out and it was mostly comic book fans who knew about Jane Foster. However, the movie turned out to be a hit, grossing $449.3 million (according to Box Office Mojo) and giving Portman another franchise to star in.
Thor features the titular protagonist as he encounters Jane on Earth after being banished there. Portman’s dynamic with Chris Hemsworth was praised, with Jane and Thor instantly becoming a fan-favorite couple. ThorThe performances of set the platform for subsequent entries to emulate similar box office returns.
4 Thor: The Dark World (2013) – $644.8 million
Stream on Disney+
Jane proved to be one of the bravest love interests in the MCU with her starring role in Thor: The Dark World. Portman had a bigger role to play in the sequel which saw Jane take on the powers of the Reality Stone, as she and Thor battle the Dark Elves for its control.
Thor: The Dark World didn’t receive the best reviews, but the $644.8 million gross (according to Box Office Mojo) showed that the film didn’t count on critical opinion. It became the actress’ highest-grossing non-profitstar wars feature film, although fans didn’t see her reprise the role of Jane Foster for nearly a decade after.
3 Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) – $653.8 million
Stream on Disney+
The law of diminishing returns saw Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones perform worse than its predecessor, but still end up grossing a whopping $653.8 million (according to Box Office Mojo). Natalie Portman reprized her role as Padmé Amidala, this time becoming a senator from the planet Naboo.
Critics and audiences alike generally love the story setting up Padmé and Anakin Skywalker’s romance that led to the birth of Luke and Leia. Although the heavy use of CGI effects put off some viewers, the power of the star wars the brand ordered meant that attack of the clones was still a successful box office venture.
2 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) – $868.4 million
Stream on Disney+
The conclusion of the star wars The prequel trilogy saw him play near the first entry, with fans turning out in droves to see Anakin Skywalker transform into Darth Vader. Natalie Portman also pulled out of the show, with Padmé’s story ending with her death just after giving birth to Luke and Leia.
With a final gross of $868.4 million (according to Box Office Mojo), Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith closed the prequel trilogy on a high note. Critical reception also saw a marked improvement, with many calling the film the best of the three.
1 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $1.027 billion
Stream on Disney+
With great anticipation for the return of star wars after a gap of 16 years, there was no doubt that the first chronological entry would be a blockbuster. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace grossed $924.3 million on its first run and a subsequent 3D re-release pushed it to a final figure of $1.027 billion (according to Box Office Mojo).
While many reviews were negative due to the presence of characters like Jar Jar Binks, Portman’s introduction as Queen Padmé Amidala was considered one of the highlights. Regardless of, star wars was too big to ignore and The Phantom Menace still ranks as Portman’s highest-grossing release more than two decades later.
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