In the MCU, Captain Marvel could wipe out Black Widow in the time it takes to snap her fingers (without a certain glove, of course).
Brie Larson and Scarlett Johansson's characters aren't exactly equal in strength, but the two actresses are similar in real life. They were both child actors and made it big when they were cast in the MCU. They both worked really hard while preparing to be superheroes, training for months on end so that they could squeeze into those tight spandex suits.
They've also felt a lot of negativity in their careers, receiving backlash from fans who thought they were horrible for their characters. They've also done some questionable things to make fans turn against them at times. Johansson's been labeled a diva while fans don't have any faith in Larson's career post- Captain Marvel.
They both lead very private lives, wore similar Infinity Gauntlet jewelry to the premiere of Avengers: Endgame, and have even had similarly horrible music careers. Larson had absolutely no aspirations to become a singer and only put out one album while Johansson worked a little harder at it but to no avail.
But while there are many similarities between them (they both blonde too), there are also a lot of differences. We know who'd win in a fight in the MCU, but who'd come out on top in a battle of the net worths?
Larson's Career Is Newer
Even though they technically started acting around the same age, Larson doesn't really think that she started acting up until the last couple of years.
She's kind of right. After her first role in a comedy sketch for Jay Leno when she was about nine, she starred in Raising Dad with Bob Saget and then went on to have a quick appearance in 13 Going on 30. Years later, she appeared in the teen drama Hoot, and later, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
In 2015, Trainwreck put her back on the map, and she gained even more success with Room, which earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. With all that overnight success, she entered into the world of blockbusters.
Just because Larson has only found true success in the last couple of years doesn't mean she wasn't hard-working. All the roles that led up to Trainwreck challenged her in their own way and gave her the experience she needed to find her true talent.
But her early career was a lot different from her fellow MCU sister.
Johansson started acting when she was about ten. She found consistent work and success as a child star with films like Manny & Lo, The Horse Whisperer, and Ghost World. She broke out into adult roles with films like Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring. Roles in Match Point, The Prestige, The Other Boleyn Girl, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and He's Just Not That Into You all led to Black Widow.
Their MCU Salaries
Of course, it's also just as unfair comparing the actresses' MCU salaries as it is comparing their early careers because Johannson has been in the game longer than Larson.
Larson starred in Kong: Skull Island and then hit the jackpot when she was cast as Captain Marvel in the MCU. Larson proved she had what it takes to star in the MCU when she started her nine-month training program to get her in fighting shape so she'd look like a real superhero.
Playing the most powerful Marvel character had its ups and downs. She was helming the first female-led MCU film ever, so there was a little pressure, but at least she made $5 million for Captain Marvel alone. It took a little longer for Johansson to make that kind of money for Black Widow.
She also had to film Endgame first, without knowing the film's plot or even her own character's abilities. We don't quite know what she made for Endgame, but we can estimate her salary was anywhere between the hundred thousand and a couple of million for her small part at the end of the film. She'll also likely get a pay raise when she reprises Captain Marvel in the sequel.
Johansson, on the other hand, entered the MCU nearly ten years before Larson. She made $400,000 for Iron Man 2, and her salary only increased film after film. According to Celebrity Net Worth, she received salaries in the low millions for her next couple of Marvel films, until Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, which earned her about $15 million each plus 5% of backend profits.
In total, they estimate that she's earned about $60-75 million for all of her seven films in the franchise and typically earned around $10 million upfront later on. For her stand-alone Black Widow film, which is yet to premiere soon, she earned $15 million alone.
Outside the MCU, Johansson earned $40 million between 2017 and 2018 from her film salaries and other endorsements, making her the highest-paid actresses ever. In 2017, she earned her highest salary for a single film to date, $17.5 million for Ghost in the Shell. Between 2018 and 2019, she made $55 million. It's estimated that she can earn $10-20 million a year from just endorsements alone.
So it's quite simple to figure out who has the highest net worth. Johansson takes the crown easily. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Larson is worth $25 million, while Johansson is worth $165 million.
But it's not really fair comparing them considering the aforementioned reasons. But there is the fact that Captain Marvel is set to explore the galaxy in six more Marvel films, while Johansson is just wrapping up her time in the franchise as we speak. So Larson is taking control of the reins and could start to catch up to Johansson. Let's see if Black Widow makes as much as Captain Marvel, shall we?