Florence Pugh is experiencing a major turning point in her career as she prepares for the upcoming release of her buzzworthy new film Don't Worry Darling. Furthermore, with Pugh attached to several other major upcoming releases, including Dune: Part 2, Oppenheimer, and Marvel's Thunderbolts project, the actress is truly one of the most lucrative stars in Hollywood today.
With a career that spans back to 2014, Pugh has appeared in a total of seven theatrically released films, several of which have proven to be quite financially profitable. Each of her films can be ranked based on their worldwide box office earnings, thanks to the record-keeping website Box Office Mojo.
The Falling (2014) - $569,498
Available On Tubi
The Falling is a 2014 British mystery film starring Maisie Williams and Florence Pugh. Williams and Pugh portray Lydia Lamont and Abigail Mortimer, respectively, two best friends at an all-girls school in 1960s England. The two girls explore their own burgeoning adulthood over the course of their teenage years.
The Falling mostly flew under the radar for general audiences, receiving only a limited theatrical release, which garnered just over $569,000 (via Box Office Mojo). Despite its limited viewership, which was mostly relegated to the United Kingdom, the film is Florence Pugh's very first acting credit, setting up an incredibly well-rounded career to come.
Lady Macbeth (2016) - $5,401,447
Available To Rent On Apple TV
Florence Pugh truly placed herself into the spotlight when taking on the eponymous role in the 2016 British drama Lady Macbeth. With a title alluding to one of the greatest theatrical villains of all time, the film is based on the Russian novella Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, which critiqued society's views and expectations of women in 19th-century Europe.
Though Lady Macbeth's $5 million box office gross (via Box Office Mojo) would be a severe hit to a major motion picture, the film's low-budget nature ensured its success. The film presented Pugh as an acting force to be reckoned with, displaying her true talent and thereby setting her up for the many starring roles she would take on in the next few years.
Fighting With My Family (2019) - $41,503,392
Available To Rent Apple TV
From The Office creator Stephen Merchant, Fighting With My Family is a sports biopic depicting the early career of WWE wrestler Paige. Florence Pugh portrays Paige as she struggles to find success in the world of professional wrestling and is joined by Lena Headey, Nick Frost, and Dwayne Johnson in the 2019 film.
Fighting With My Family was a modest success, earning just over $40 million against an $11 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). Despite positive reviews for the film and particular praise for Pugh in the role of Paige, the film didn't catch on with general audiences, fizzling out at the box office before too long. While still a success for Pugh in her early career, it was certainly the least memorable of her three cinematic appearances in 2019.
Midsommar (2019) - $47,914,129
Available On Showtime
From A24, Midsommar is a disturbing horror film depicting one couple's catastrophic vacation to the Swedish countryside, where they are caught up in the rituals of a pagan cult. Florence Pugh stars as Dani Ardor, the film's protagonist, who desperately attempts to escape the clutches of the horrific cult before they can kill her and her boyfriend.
Though Midsommar was a bonafide success, given its small budget and proportionately successful theatrical run (via Box Office Mojo), the film still failed to reach the sterling box office numbers of more popular A24 films, such as the recent multiversal adventure Everything Everywhere All At Once. While received well by critics, general audiences found Midsommar somewhat inaccessible, stunting its box office performance greatly. Nevertheless, the film still managed to extend Pugh's career further into the limelight, opening up new doors for the actress's burgeoning career.
The Commuter (2018) - $119,942,387
Available On Epix
The Commuter tells the story of a former New York City police officer, played by Liam Neeson, who finds himself caught up in a murderous conspiracy after his morning commute goes incredibly awry, forcing him to clear his name and get to the bottom of a nefarious plot. Pugh portrays the minor character Gwen in the film, a passenger on the train alongside Neeson's character.
The Commuter managed to make over $100 million at the worldwide box office against a $30 million budget (via Box Office Mojo), making the thriller a financial success. The film, however, received largely mixed reviews for its formulaic plot and subpar writing. Overall, The Commuter, while profitable, was not the greatest film in the career of either Neeson or Pugh.
Little Women (2019) - $216,601,214
Available To Buy On Apple TV
In 2019, another rendition of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women hit theaters. The film united the talents of famous actors and actresses, including Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlon, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, and Meryl Streep. In this retelling of the classic story, Florence Pugh portrays Amy March, a beloved character from the original 19th-century book.
Little Women was an all-around success, earning more than five times its budget of $40 million (via Box Office Mojo). The film also received rave reviews both from critics and fans of Alcott's novel, making it indisputably one of the best romantic dramas of the 2010s. Little Women's success would set Pugh up for more starring roles in the future as her career began to fully blossom.
Black Widow (2021) - $379,751,655
Available On Disney+
The role that catapulted Florence Pugh into the spotlight for general audiences was undoubtedly that of Yelena Belova in 2021's long-delayed superhero film Black Widow, the long-awaited premiere of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 4 and Scarlett Johansson's swan song as the eponymous Avenger. The film marked Pugh's first appearance in the sprawling franchise, setting her up for much bigger roles in the future of the MCU, including a member of the titular team, Thunderbolts, in 2024.
Though Black Widow is Pugh's highest-earning film by far, the project's $379 million worldwide total (via Box Office Mojo) was somewhat disappointing compared to other MCU films. However, this has mostly been attributed to the film's hybrid release, hitting theaters and Disney+ on the same day. Nevertheless, Yelena's MCU debut quickly made her a fan favorite, setting Pugh up for future appearances, first in Hawkeye and likely in many more projects in the near future.