Some filmmakers don’t only know how to make movies; they know how to make money. One of them is Avatar: Fire and Ash director James Cameron, who recently achieved billionaire status, according to Forbes. Cameron joins a prestigious list of only five directors to achieve a 10-digit net worth. It’s remarkable, even at a time when the richest person in the world is way past the $500 billion mark.
Most of these filmmakers have acquired their wealth due to a combination of factors, including stakes in studios, percentage of box office returns, and personal businesses. Whatever their source of income, we can all admire these auteurs for working harder and being smarter than the rest. They truly are inspirations to us all, reminding us of the power of investment and always putting in more effort, no matter how high up the ladder you are.
Peter Jackson
Current net worth: $1.7 billion
You probably expected Peter Jackson to be wealthy, but not billionaire-wealthy. The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit trilogy made huge sums, but most of the money went to the studios. So, how did Jackson get so rich, considering that most of his other films weren’t as big as his Tolkien adaptations? Well, Jackson benefited from upfront fees and the box office profit shares of the two, one of which is a greatest-of-all-time trilogy, but his money mainly came from business moves.
Early in his career, Jackson made a foray into visual effects through his New Zealand-based firm, Weta Digital. The filmmaker co-founded the company to provide visual effects for Heavenly Creatures. The spectacular job done on the film got Hollywood interested. Weta would go on to provide CGI for several blockbusters, including Wolverine and the remake of Lady and the Tramp. In 2021, a large chunk of the company’s assets was sold for $1.6 billion to Unity Software, a video game software manufacturer. The deal officially made Jackson a billionaire.
Beyond that, Peter Jackson has several out-of-the-ordinary assets. An avid aviation enthusiast, he owns over 40 airworthy World War I-era warbirds and a Gulfstream G650, according to the New Zealand Herald. Additionally, he owns the main driving Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car that was built for the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Given his love for cars and war planes, it’s surprising he hasn’t made a major war or racing movie.
Tyler Perry
Current net worth: $1.4 billion
The king of so-bad-it’s-good-movies has ignored all criticisms and made plenty of money for himself over the years. For years, Tyler Perry has remained one of the highest-paid entertainers, despite the fact that he rarely collaborates with other influential Hollywood figures. The actor and filmmaker has simply grabbed a seat for himself in isolation and become comfortable in it.
Perry’s films have made over $600 million. He maintains full ownership of all the movies and TV shows he has ever made. Besides that, he has a 25% stake in BET+ and has had a lengthy partnership with Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network. Much of Perry’s income also comes from his studio (Tyler Perry Studios), whose stages have been used as sets for numerous blockbusters, including Black Panther and Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Forbes estimates Perry has earned more than $1.4 billion in pretax income every year since 2005. Accordingly, he has treated himself well. He owns homes in Atlanta, Wyoming, New York, and Los Angeles, as well as two planes. However, things aren’t all rosy for the director. At the moment, Tyler Perry is facing a $260 million sexual harassment and assault lawsuit filed by actor Derek Dixon. It’ll be interesting to see how that turns out.
George Lucas
Current net worth: $5.5 billion
Wealth is guaranteed when you are the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. Interestingly, George Lucas admits he has never been one to chase wealth. “Time is more important to me than money,” he said, adding that he’s “more of a film guy,” mostly using his earnings to fund new ideas and improve existing ones rather than create a bigger fortune.
Lucas has been rich for a long time, but he lodged himself firmly in the billionaire’s wall when his Lucasfilm production company was sold to Disney for $4.1 billion in 2012. Before that, he had captured all the earnings from the original Star Wars trilogy and the prequel trilogy. Additionally, he founded companies like Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) for visual effects. The company has created imagery for countless blockbusters. Additionally, he founded THX for sound.
Lucas’ net worth is destined to increase even further because half of his Lucasfilm sale included Disney stock (around 40 million shares). This means that the more the Star Wars franchise grows, the more he’ll make. Lucas has vowed to donate the majority of the proceeds to “philanthropic endeavors.”
James Cameron
Current net worth: $1.1 Billion
Studios love a filmmaker like James Cameron who rarely misses. His films have made over $8 billion worldwide, making him the second-highest-grossing film director of all time. Additionally, three of Cameron’s films — Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Titanic — are amongst the top four highest-grossing films of all time. The latter was the first film to make $1 billion.
Unlike other billionaire directors, who had major deals or revenue streams outside of Hollywood, Cameron has made most of his fortune from the success of his movies. He forfeited his $8 million directing fee for Titanic in exchange for backend profits. The deal netted Cameron close to $650 million. However, the biggest source of his wealth is the Avatar series. Cameron is currently expected to make around $200 million from Fire & Ash.
Interestingly, Cameron doesn’t care about all the money. He often downplays his net worth or refuses to talk about the matter. The director often rejects interviews from financial publications, preferring to talk about his films only. Recently, he has been firmly opposed to the Netflix-Warner Bros deal. We bet he’d make an offer, too, if he had a big enough war chest.
Steven Spielberg
Current net worth: $7.1 billion
Money might follow him, but Steven Spielberg isn’t a ruthless capitalist. He once rejected a salary for Schindler’s List, believing it would be unfair to victims of the holocaust. Admirable! Celebrated as the pioneer of the summer blockbuster (thanks to Jaws), Spielberg is considered one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema and is the highest-grossing film director of all time. He is not just the wealthiest person in Hollywood but the wealthiest celebrity in general. How did he get to that point?
In 1981, Spielberg founded Amblin Entertainment, the studio that made ‘80s and ‘90s hits like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future, Gremlins, and Men in Black — earning him high producer fees and proceeds from equity. In 1994, he then co-founded DreamWorks SKG, the studio behind live-action hits like Saving Private Ryan and Gladiator, and DreamWorks Animation, which made Madagascar, Shrek, and Kung Fu Panda. He would later sell DreamWorks live-action to Paramount.
Away from the screen, Spielberg made another major deal in the ‘80s. He negotiated a perpetual consulting agreement with Universal Parks. In return, he was to get 2% of ticket sales plus, on top of royalties from attractions based on his hits (Jaws, Jurassic Park, etc.). This deal still brings him millions annually.
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