When we watch the movies and learn about their huge budgets and the huge amount that they earn in the box office, most of us wonder how is that money divided between hundreds of the crew and cast members involved in the films.
Well, it might be difficult to do so for every person, but the directors of the movie get a pretty significant amount for their genius, so here is the list of the richest directors in Hollywood as of 2020.
1. George Lucas
Net Worth: $5.4 Billion
George Lucas, director, producer, writer, and the creator of the Star Wars franchise is currently the richest director in the world.
The popularity of the Star Wars franchise has had a direct impact on George Lucas and he is now one of the most popular directors as well, but Star Wars is not his only work, the other famous franchise that he has started is Indiana Jones. The combined popularity of the two franchise exceeds any other movie franchise in the entertainment industry and is only rivalled by a few.
The reason for this humongous amount of net worth of Lucas is not entirely due to the movies he directed, in 2012 Lucas sold the entirety of his company Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion which resulted in his net worth skyrocketing and has kept him on top of this list for quite a few years. Thus he tops the list of the richest directors in Hollywood.
Other popular films that Lucas has worked on include Labyrinth, Body Heat, American Graffiti, and countless others.
2. Steven Spielberg
Net Worth: $3.6 Billion
Steven Spielberg is one of the best directors on this planet and deservedly has earned the money to reflect his brilliance, the three-time academy award winner is the second richest director in the world.
Spielberg’s net worth is one of the least amazing aspects about him. The director has set precedents in the film industry unlike anybody else and it is said that the era of New Hollywood began with him. The director is so well known that in 2001 he was given an honorary knighthood by Great Britain.
The director is well known for his work on the Jurassic Park franchise and the Indiana Jones franchise after George Lucas took the position of the producer in the movies, other works of his include Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, E. T, etc. The success of these movies has made him one of the biggest and richest directors in Hollywood.
Here’s 20 Steven Spielberg Movies Ranked From Worst To Best!
3. James Cameron
Net Worth: $700 Million
Well, the director of the biggest box office hits in the world is also in the list, if you see a movie with the name James Cameron attached to it you can be sure that it’ll earn big.
The director of Titanic and Avatar is the third richest director in the world with a net worth of $700 million, not only he has worked on two of the most popular movies of all time but he has also helmed the direction of franchises such as the Terminator franchise and Aliens.
The man has earned the Best Picture, Best Film Editing as well as Best Director award at the Academy Awards, easily making him one of the most iconic and richest directors in Hollywood, I mean what else even needs to be said about James Cameron.
Here’s 10 Best James Cameron Movies Ranked From Worst To Best!
4. Tyler Perry
Net Worth: $600 Million
Tyler Perry went from being homeless about 20 years ago to being on the list of the top 5 richest directors in the world, that’s a story in itself. The director is best known for his franchise Madea that started his career in the film industry at a live theatre and then went onto transitioning to the televisions and film.
The actor, producer, and director is very popular amongst the black community and he is estimated to earn about $100 to $150 million per year and thus in the last 5 years, he has garnered a wealth of $600 million, no wonder he is one of the richest directors in Hollywood.m
Opening five movies at #1 in the box office over five years makes him the only filmmaker in history to do so.
5. Sir Peter Jackson
Net Worth: $500 Million
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit franchise have made about $3 billion over their run, it’s only right that the director of these iconic movies is in the top 5 list of the richest directors in Hollywood.
With a net worth of $600 million, Peter Jackson is the fifth richest director in the world, the native of New Zealand has made much of his worth directing the movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works.
Not only the world of Tolkien but Jackson has been involved in many other works such as District 9, Heavenly Creatures (1994), and the famous movie King Kong which earned him $20 million and also the 20 per cent of the movie’s box office earning.
Peter Jackson was also knighted in 2010.
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