Eddie Murphy vs. Will Smith

By Susan King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Both Will Smith and Eddie Murphy have been box-office champions during the summer months. Murphy’s first summer hit was the 1983 comedy “Trading Places”; Smith took ownership of the entire month of July a dozen years ago with his sci-fi blockbuster “Independence Day.” And now they'll be duking it out this month as their films hit the theaters. Smith’s latest, the offbeat “Hancock,” in which he plays a reluctant, boozy superhero, opened July 2. And Murphy’s sci-fi comedy “Meet Dave,” in which he plays the captain of a spaceship that has human form, hits theaters on July 11.

So who really is the bigger star? We decided to pit these two popular performers against each other in several categories. (Beatrice de Gea / Los Angeles Times)