One of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces is none other than Scarlett Johansson, and her filmography is full of popular entries.
There’s no denying that Johansson is an extremely popular and successful actress. Apart from almost a decade spent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Johansson has starred in several other high-profile hits (and occasional misses) throughout her near-three-decades-long career.
In fact, for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019, Johansson was the highest-paid actress in the world (due in part to her roles in back-to-back megahit Avengers movies).
Scarlett Johansson’s All-Time Best Movies
This ranking was compiled using Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, and the order in which they appear on the list was determined by taking the average between the two scores.
12.) The Prestige
- Average Tomatometer: 76%
- IMDb Score: 8.5
The Prestige is acclaimed director Christopher Nolan’s fifth feature film. Released in 2006, the plot concerns two magicians in the late-19th century, played by Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, who form a rivalry over an illusion called “The Transported Man.” Scarlett Johansson appears as the magicians’ assistant, Olivia Wenscombe, and frequent Nolan collaborator Michael Caine also stars.
Viewers responded well to The Prestige’s sense of intrigue and multiple startling plot twists. On a budget of $40 million, the film ended up grossing more than $109 million and is considered a strong entry into Nolan’s filmography, even if it is arguably overshadowed by his more recent hits.
11.) Ghost World
- Average Tomatometer: 93%
- IMDb Score: 7.3
Terry Zwigoff (who went on to helm the 2003 Billy Bob Thornton vehicle Bad Santa) directed the movie Ghost World which came out in 2001. Based on a cult graphic novel, Ghost World sees Johansson playing opposite Thora Birch as two teenage friends who navigate their post-high school lives in different ways.
As much a cult classic as its comic book source material and often described as being ahead of its time, the film can be seen as a response to stereotypical teen comedies of the era, such as American Pie. Made for a modest $7 million, Ghost World pulled in about $8.8 million.
10.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Average Tomatometer: 90%
- IMDb Score: 7.8
One of the overall most celebrated Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, sees Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers grapple with his past and present when he realizes that the planet he sacrificed himself for wasn’t all that he thought it was. Winter Soldier is Scarlett Johansson’s third time out as superspy hero Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow.
With brothers Joe and Anthony Russo behind the camera, Captain America: The Winter Soldier did much to prop up Black Widow and Captain America after their initial Marvel film appearances.
9.) Isle of Dogs
- Average Tomatometer: 90%
- IMDb Score: 7.8
The only animated movie on this list (but not the only one where Johansson only provides her voice), Isle of Dogs is a quirky, 2018 stop-motion animated movie by indie director Wes Anderson that takes cues from his other stop-motion flick, The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Johansson plays a show dog called Nutmeg and is part of what can only be described as a stacked cast.
Despite facing some moderate controversy upon release over concerns of cultural appropriation, Isle of Dogs is quite well-liked, with critics especially praising its detailed, lovingly-crafted animation.
8.) Captain America: Civil War
- Average Tomatometer: 90%
- IMDb Score: 7.8
The 2016 conclusion to the Captain America trilogy marked the second time directing duo the Russo Bros. worked with Marvel Studios. In Captain America: Civil War, Earth’s superheroes face a clash over the Sokovia Accords which would mandate their world-saving actions. Scarlett Johansson reprised her role as Black Widow in the movie.
Civil War is a pivotal installment in Marvel’s Infinity Saga and is much-beloved by MCU fans. With a budget of $250 million, Captain America: Civil War Was a rip-roaring success that cracked a billion and then some.
7.) The Jungle Book (2016)
- Average Tomatometer: 94%
- IMDb Score: 7.4
Featuring an all-star cast with the likes of Bill Murray and Lupita Nyong’o voicing photo-realistic computer-generated animals, Jon Favreau’s live-action remake of The Jungle Book definitely turned some heads back in 2016. Johansson lent her voice to Kaa, a giant Indian python who serves as a villain in the movie.
The Jungle Book proved to be plenty popular with moviegoers and ultimately paved the way for Favreau to take on The Lion King in a similar, hyper-realistic fashion.
6.) Avengers: Infinity War
- Average Tomatometer: 85%
- IMDb Score: 8.4
The Russos took on the gargantuan task of not only closing out Marvel Studios’ decade-long Infinity Saga but also directing an exciting two-part epic. The first part, Avengers: Infinity War, saw the superhero team’s tragic downfall as half the universe was lost to Thanos. Scarlett Johansson again brought Black Widow to life in the 2018 epic.
Ending on a massive cliffhanger that wouldn’t be resolved until the following year, Infinity War raked in the dough and is often regarded as the better half of the most recent cinematic Avengers story.
5.) The Avengers
- Average Tomatometer: 91%
- IMDb Score: 8.0
2012's The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, assembled the world’s mightiest heroes to battle evil Asgardian Loki. Among the team was Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff in the character’s second big-screen appearance.
The Avengers was a worldwide phenomenon and a milestone for Marvel Studios as it brought in over $1.5 billion in box office returns. This is the movie that made everyone (including the rest of Hollywood, which created middling attempts to copy the formula) stand up and take notice of what exactly Marvel was doing with its interconnected storytelling.
4.) Lost in Translation
- Average Tomatometer: 95%
- IMDb Score: 7.7
Sofia Coppola’s 2003 dramedy, Lost in Translation, finds Bill Murray portraying a washed-up movie star who travels to Tokyo for work. It’s there that he meets Johansson’s Charlotte and the two develop an unlikely companionship.
On a budget of only $4 million, Lost in Translation made over $118 million and netted Coppola an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The film was additionally nominated for Best Picture and Best Director in 2003.
3.) Her
- Average Tomatometer: 94%
- IMDb Score: 8.0
Released in 2013, Spike Jonze’s Her centers around Joaquin Phoenix as a lonely writer who forms a romantic attachment to an artificial intelligence named Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson.) Her explores the concept of introversion and the impact it can have on someone’s life.
The film opened to great critical acclaim and received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay alongside four other Academy Award nominations.
2.) Marriage Story
- Average Tomatometer: 95%
- IMDb Score: 7.9
Director Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story from 2019 chronicled the messy divorce of a wedded couple portrayed by Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. Marriage Story digs deep into the at-times fragile fabric of married life and the toll that divorce can take on everyone involved.
Released by Netflix, the movie was given a limited theatrical run before winding up on streaming. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, and Laura Dern won Best Supporting Actress for her performance.
1.) Avengers: Endgame
- Average Tomatometer: 94%
- IMDb Score: 8.4
The big kahuna of Marvel movies and the giant-sized, bombastic finale to a 22-movie storyline, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame (directed by Joe and Anthony Russo) brought the battle with Thanos to a high-stakes close but not without a couple of casualties along the way.
Alongside the death of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff met an untimely demise when she gave her own life in exchange for the Soul Stone.
For almost two years, Avengers: Endgame held the distinguished position of being the highest-grossing movie of all time before ultimately getting dethroned when James Cameron’s Avatar was re-released in 2021. Overall, Endgame grossed over $2.7 billion.
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