Over the past few years, star power has mattered less and less to audiences going to see films. A decade ago, a movie was a guaranteed hit if it featured someone like Johnny Depp, Adam Sandler, Tom Cruise or Will Smith.

Nowadays, each of those actors have had projects that are nothing short of bombs. There are only a handful of actors in 2016 who can open a movie by name alone: Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio and, interestingly enough, Melissa McCarthy.

Melissa McCarthy is an anomaly in this group for several reasons. For one, if we rewind a mere half-decade ago, McCarthy was not a household name. She was a character actor who some people might recognize from “Gilmore Girls,” and was just getting started on mediocre CBS sitcom “Mike and Molly.”

However, this weekend, her film “The Boss” opened to over $20 million. Based on name power alone, it’s a fantastic result. One must wonder in an age where the idea of a movie star is dying, how have we gotten a new, bankable star so quickly?

McCarthy’s quick rise to national prominence began with her now-iconic role in “Bridesmaids.” Her performance was one that transcended the movie it was featured in, and quickly became an all-time classic. Additionally, she was one of the rare performers to be nominated for an Academy Award for an outright comedic role. With “Bridesmaids,” McCarthy not only got America’s attention, but also piqued our curiosity.

McCarthy’s comedic skills are evident when watching her, but her rise to prominence can also be attributed to her originality. In our culture, we have never really seen anyone like Melissa McCarthy. She is a very funny, very skilled performer who does not fit the mold of the traditional Hollywood actress. Because of this, she can play big, loud and brash, and take on roles with archetypes that are usually designated for men.

Since the release of “Bridesmaids,” America has continued its infatuation with McCarthy, and she has churned out hit after hit. “The Boss” is the fifth movie she has headlined, while the four other movies — “Identity Thief,” “The Heat,” “Tammy” and “Spy” — could all be classified as hits.

“Tammy” was the lowest grosser of the bunch, but it still grossed $80 million, which is especially impressive when one considers that almost every dollar of that gross was reliant on McCarthy. The other three films had famous co-stars and funny premises, but “Tammy” was literally sold as “a movie with Melissa McCarthy in it,” and it worked.

McCarthy does not look to be slowing down. “The Boss” posted strong numbers this weekend, and will likely have strong legs throughout its run. Additionally, McCarthy is one of the leads in the all-female “Ghostbusters” that will be released this summer, which is only raising her profile. As this success continues though, one must wonder — how long can it last?

While all of McCarthy’s movies have made a considerable amount of money, films like “Identity Thief,” “Tammy” and even “The Boss” were essentially obliterated by critics. If McCarthy keeps releasing subpar films, her box office clout might still be significant. But inevitably, it will shrink, somewhat similarly to Adam Sandler’s. If McCarthy wants to continue to be among the last major movie stars, her projects should maintain a level of quality that properly reflects her talent instead of hijacking it for cheap laughs.

Erik Benjamin is a sophomore television, radio and film major. His column appears weekly in Pulp. You can email him at ebenjami@syr.edu or follow him @embenjamin14 on Twitter.

Published on April 10, 2016 at 7:25 pm