Two actors, both enjoying career resurgences, go head-to-head to see who is the real superstar.
After disappearing from the screen for a few years, Will Smith and Kevin Costner have both been enjoying career resurgences recently. This year alone, Costner has already starred in two releases – Black or White and McFarland, USA – and Focus hit the big screen this weekend, marking Smith's return to movies for the first time since the disastrous release of his2013 sci-fi bomb After Earth.
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So, with both stars in the middle of making powerful comebacks, and with films in theaters at the same time, what better way to see who the real star is than by pitting their careers against each other's in a brand-new installment of ET's Celebrity Showdown?!
Looking at seven unique criteria that weigh box-office earnings, critics' reviews and awards season gold, Celebrity Showdown examines the anatomy of both stars' careers to show who's really the best.
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Previously we've compared the careers of comedy icons, leading ladies and Hollywood hunks. Who do you think will win between Smith and Costner? For fun, take a guess, then check out our totally scientific results.*
*Results not actually scientific.
ROUND 1 - TOTAL FILMS
Will Smith: 22
Kevin Costner: 36 (WIN)
ROUND 2 - HIGHEST GROSSING FILM
Will Smith: $306.1 million - Independence Day (WIN)
Kevin Costner: $291 million - Man of Steel
ROUND 3 - AVERAGE GROSS
Will Smith: $126.3 million (WIN)
Kevin Costner: $52.4 million
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ROUND 4 - TOTAL COMBINED GROSS
Will Smith: $2.77 billion (WIN)
Kevin Costner: $1.88 billion
ROUND 5 - HIGHEST RATED FILM
Will Smith: 92% - Men In Black
Kevin Costner: 97% - Bull Durham (WIN)
ROUND 6 - AVERAGE RT SCORE
Will Smith: 52.6%
Kevin Costner: 54.6% (WIN)
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ROUND 7 - 'AWARDS' SCORE*
Will Smith: -2.5
Kevin Costner: 2.5 (WIN)
*2 points for Oscar wins, 1 point for Golden Globes, Emmy or Screen Actors Guild Wins, .5 points for People's Choice Wins and -1 point for a Razzie Win.
AND THE WINNER IS…
KEVIN COSTNER! 4 TO 3
While Smith trounced Costner in terms of box-office returns, the Dances With Wolves star came back swinging in terms of critical response and awards season love. So, despite what likely everyone thought, Costner came out on top. Congrats Mr. Costner!
That being said, in Hollywood money is king and the Fresh Prince has simply made all of the money in the world. Stacking up his average box office gross of $126.3 million per film against any other Celebrity Showdown contestant really proves how staggering that type of consistant performance really is (The only person with a better average is Jennifer Lawrence with $144.2 million because of The Hunger Games franchise).
So really, congrats to both stars because you're both on an upswing!
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In fact, Smith is set to star in the hotly anticipated comic-book movie Suicide Squad, for which the film's stars have already begun training. Check out the video below for a look at the amazing cast.
For more fun movie news and Celebrity Showdowns, you can follow Zach Seemayer on Twitter @ZachSeemayer.
