The world’s 12 richest film directors in 2023, net worths ranked: from Star Wars and Indiana Jones billionaire George Lucas and E.T.’s Steven Spielberg, to LOTR’s Peter Jackson and Avatar creator James Cameron

Jul 15 , 2023

James Cameron, Peter Jackson, George Lucas, Tyler Perry and Christopher Nolan have all made plenty of money through their successful films and TV shows. But who made the most? Photos: Reuters; AP; EPA; TNS; Warner Bros. Pictures

The world’s most famous directors are, surprise surprise, the richest – yep, George Lucas, the brains behind Star Wars and Indiana Jones, sold Lucasfilm to Disney for US$4.1 billion

Ridley Scott made a fortune from Gladiator, Hannibal and House of Gucci, and The Dark Knight made Christopher Nolan millions – with more set to roll in from new release Oppenheimer

While we often find ourselves captivated by the glamorous (and handsomely rewarded) actors and actresses bringing beloved films and TV shows to life, let’s not forget that it’s the brilliant minds behind the camera – the directors – who truly deserve our gratitude.

They are the ones responsible for what you see on the screen – making those impeccable casting choices and shaping the overall vision of the production.

Frodo, played by Elijah Wood, preparing to strike with his sword in the epic adventure trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. Photo: AP

We have iconic figures like George Lucas, the genius who created the multiplex-blowing Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, and Peter Jackson, the mastermind behind The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film adaptations.

Among the auteurs who built their reputation on both writing and directing in their own iconoclastic style are Inception and Interstellar brainiac Christopher Nolan, who’s all set to unleash his much-awaited Oppenheimer this July; and James Cameron, the Terminator-to-Titanic maestro who kept the hype alive for last year’s Avatar 2, well over a decade after its first instalment hit the screens.

Director James Cameron and actor Sam Worthington behind the scenes while shooting Avatar 2. Photo: 20th Century Studios

So, one burning question remains: who’s the wealthiest director of them all? We asked the internet whizzes over at Celebrity Net Worth to find out.

12. Christopher Nolan – US$250 million

Director Christopher Nolan poses during a photo call at the 71st International Film Festival in Cannes, France, in May 2018. Photo: AP

This 52-year-old British-American film director is the genius behind some of the past two decades’ biggest – and most mind-boggling – cinematic moments, including Memento (2001), The Dark Knight (2008), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017) and Tenet (2020).