After watching Alex Rodriguez re-sign with the Yankees as a free agent, I began to wonder who would be the top free agents in the film world.
If studios could simply pay the highest sum to sign a team of actors and actresses who would be under contract for years to come, who would be first people selected?
Rankings are based on past films, future projects, box-office worth and Oscar prestige.
ACTORS
1. Will Smith: The man who can do no wrong. With “I Am Legend” getting mixed reviews so far, it’ll be interesting to see if his popularity can overcome any negative press. Chances are people will still come in droves. Going back to “Independence Day,” which earned a staggering $306 million, everything Smith touches turns to gold. And in a business where there’s no such thing as a sure thing, he’s as good as it gets.
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}3. Denzel Washington: Although Washington stays firmly afoot in high-octane dramas and hasn’t had a sniff of a comedy (though he says he’s not against one if the project is right), he knows what works best for him and is comfortable staying there. A two-time Oscar winner who can still draw a huge audience, Washington should remain a huge asset for years to come.
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}5. Seth Rogan: If he was thought of as slovenly B-list actor before this year, 2007 changed everything. His association with comedy king Judd Apatow has given him universal appeal, and the $270 million in combined returns for “Knocked Up” and Superbad” make him the Adam Sandler for a new generation.
6. Adam Sandler: Speaking of which … maybe he’s not the sure bet he was a decade ago, when he was a studio’s personal ATM machine, but even his more recently panned movies — “Click” and “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry” — earned north of $100 million. As long as he stays in comedy, he’s a solid investment.
7. Matt Damon: Few can be both a leading man and action hero, yet Damon has proved he has the full package: brains, looks and muscle. The “Bourne” series has made him box-office gold in the action genre ($227 for “Ultimatum”), and taut dramas such as the Oscar-winning “The Departed” ($132 million) makes him viable in those heady ensembles as well.
8. Leonardo DiCaprio: Like others on this list, DiCaprio’s a guy who can deliver both gold statues and coin. By choosing his films very carefully and working with top-notch directors, such as Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, DiCaprio has proven that he’s in for the long haul, not an easy paycheck. He could’ve easily gone that route after “Titanic,” but clearly sees the logic in choosing projects that keep him on audiences must-see list every time.
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}10. The Rock: It would be easy to dismiss The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson) as nothing more than an ex-wrestler trying to make his mark in movies, but he’s certainly hit a chord with audiences. Smartly staying in a genre of films that appeal to his fan base, The Rock’s $88 million take for “The Game Plan” and upcoming role in “Get Smart” has the studios taking notice.
ACTRESSES
1. Reese Witherspoon: She’s always been great in the rom-coms, but with an Oscar now on her resume after an impressive turn in “Walk the Line,” Witherspoon can’t be pigeonholed anymore and may be the biggest female box office draw right now. Given the right material — from as frothy as the “Legally Blonde” series to something with everyday dramatic resonance, the failed “Rendition” notwithstanding — Witherspoon is a hot commodity who shouldn’t settle for anything less than top dollar, but is worth every penny.
2. Keira Knightley: Granted, we’ve rarely seen her in anything except a corset and free-flowing swashbuckling garments, but Knightley always finds herself in the right place at the right time. Acting alongside Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in “Pirates” was a perfect place to reside and, with the help of director Joe Wright, Knightley is the current princess of the period piece — “Pride and Prejudice” was a wonderful update of the Jane Austen novel and their latest collaboration, “Atonement,” has Oscar buzz written all over it.
3. Julia Roberts: A while back, Roberts would’ve topped this list easily, but the days of “Pretty Woman,” “Runaway Bride” and “Erin Brockovich” feel like a lifetime ago. She’s been much more of a team player as of late, and it’ll be interesting to see how her latest, “Charlie Wilson’s War,” fares. That being said, she’s still a household name to folks who only go to the movies three times a year. A starring role in an entertaining lighthearted comedy could put her right up there at the top again.
4. Katherine Heigl: Heigl has the feel of an actress who’s ready to bust out and make herself a star. She’s built a big fan base from her stint on TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and then after having Seth Rogan’s baby in the smash “Knocked Up,” Heigl transitioned nicely to film. A true test will come next month as she toplines “27 Dresses,” a comedy from “The Devil Wears Prada” screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna.
5. Charlize Theron: It’s obvious that Theron doesn’t like the characters she plays to be pushed around. From an Oscar-winning turn as a serial killer in “Monster” to a woman fighting for her rights in the workplace in “North Country” (also nominated), Theron also made “The Italian Job” a smoother ride. She can do comedy too — a great addition to “Arrested Development” — and is smart enough for a female audience to take her seriously and stunningly beautiful enough to bring the guys into the theater every time.
6. Meryl Streep: It wouldn’t matter if she never did a movie again, just being associated with the Marvelous Meryl would be enough. With 14 Oscar nominations and two wins, Streep is what every actress aspires to be. It’s like Columbia Records having Dylan and Springsteen on their label and up-and-coming songwriters signing just to be on the same team. Busy as ever, Streep could have a huge 2008 with the stage to screen adaptations of both “Mama Mia!” and “Doubt.”
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}8. Jodie Foster: OK, so “The Brave One” didn’t fare well, but Foster’s been so good for so long that she’s a proven Oscar-winning commodity. Both “Panic Room” and “Flightplan” showed she can carry a film on her own shoulders, and she can be a team player as well, as seen in “Inside Man,” the largest grossing film of Spike Lee’s career. In 2008, she’ll star opposite “300” star Gerard Butler in the family friendly “Nim’s Island,” and Robert De Niro in “Sugarland.”
9. Emily Blunt: After a career-making turn in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Blunt is using her newfound fame smartly. This year the rising Brit appeared in “Dan in Real Life” and “Charlie Wilson’s War” and come January, she co-stars in the Sundance Film Fest premiere of “Sunshine Cleaning” with Amy Adams (“Enchanted”). She’s also the title character in “The Young Victoria” (written by Oscar winner Julian Fellowes) and finished the year co-starring with Tom Hanks in “The Great Buck Howard.”
10. Cameron Diaz: Sort of like a female Ben Stiller, who she co-starred with in “There’s Something About Mary,” in that you just never know when the stars will align and she’ll deliver a monster hit, and when she does … watch out. Certainly she’s played an integral part of the “Shrek” success story and the “Charlie’s Angels” movies were big grossers as well. Not afraid to turn serious when asked, she delivered a top-notch performance in Curtis Hanson’s little seen but smartly executed “In Her Shoes.”
Stuart Levine is a managing editor at Variety. He can be reached at .