Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com; Vera Anderson/WireImage.comIn going through our 40 under 40 box-office star list, one trend became really clear: The best way to get on the list is be in an action or drama franchise. Stars from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Twilight, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Transformers, Spider-Man, Fast and the Furious, even the Star Trek reboot were all thoroughly represented. But the comedy side of the story was relatively franchise-light. (Here’s the full list: #40–21 and #20-1.)
The highest-ranking comedy stars on the list are Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, duh), Katherine Heigl (Knocked Up, 27 Dresses), Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada), and Seth Rogen (come on, you know what Seth Rogen is in). Macaulay Culkin is the only real comedy franchise star, and go-to comic actress Cameron Diaz’s big live-action franchise is, well, an action franchise with Charlie’s Angels.
What does this mean? That the world is a cold, unforgiving place, mostly. Just kidding, it means some high-grossing comedies are animated — we were only counting live-action movies — and also that generally, comedies don’t rake in the dough the same way action or fantasy movies do.
Draw your own conclusions, PopWatchers: Why aren’t there more comedy franchises for stars under 40?
Because death is easy and comedy is hard. Just not enough good comedies.
I am so upset at EW for doing this. Emma and Rupert should be on that list. They have made a huge amount of money on them and they have made over a billion. Their box office totals are a LOT higher than any twilights!
Harry Potter was “thoroughly” represented? Only Daniel Radcliff was on that list. I haven’t even read a single HP book or seen any of the movies, but that is a funny statement considering the absences of Emma Watson and whoever plays Ron. And you can’t count Robert Pattinson towards HP.
Anne Hathaway is awesome in a comedy or drama. It does not matter. SHE’S EVERY WOMAN!!
I totally agree with you! I LOVE ANNE HATHAWAY!
Some people don’t feel the need to see comedies in theaters–if something is funny, it can still be funny at home. Effects-driven/spectacle type movies, aka fantasy and action films (sometimes even with added IMAX enhancements), are usually much more enjoyable when experienced in a movie theater.
Great point.
The whole thing still makes no sense. James Mardsen for instance gets the X-Men movies counted(supporting player in the first 2, was in the 3rd for about 12 minutes) while Orlando Bloom doesn’t get LOTR credit and Emma/Rupert don’t get HP credit.
This list is VERY VERY flawed. The obvious flaw is the exclusion of Rupert and Emma from the Harry Potter franchise, but also Jaden Smith at #4? His role in The Pursuit of Happyness was a SUPPORTING ROLE. The methodology used to compile this list provides skewed results.
I will also say (and this is coming from a HUGE Harry Potter fan/Twilight hater) that even if Rupert and Emma were included, even more comedic franchises would likely be excluded from this list. Is the methodology flawed? Probably. But inclusion of the aforementioned actors likely would not change the action/fantasy vs. comedy balance at all.
Hmm that’s a bit odd because Harry Potter is the most successful franchises in movie history why wouldn’t Rupert and Emma be there when Dan is there. I also think comedies aren’t just appeal anymore they are recycled sure some action and fantasy are too (and I LOVE fantasy films and books) but maybe its more appealing for a audience to be lost in a different world than laugh but then again u can laugh in fantasy novels particularly when there is a funny supporting character.
The other harry potter people aren’t there because they haven’t acted in anything else common sense! Daniel hasn’t either really but come on he plays harry its represented at least.
What was Reese Witherspoon’s average? I’d like to see why she didn’t make the cut.
I know she hasn’t done much lately, but surely she is more of a box office draw than Katherine Heigel.
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