With billions of dollars of grosses to their names, here are the highest grossing directors at the box office.
As the international box office becomes more high stakes than ever, it's no longer a rarity for movies to pass a billion dollars at the box office. Blockbuster budgets have gotten bigger, as have studio expectations. Previously, the go-to plan for Hollywood would have been to hire a big name with proven money making experience to shepherd that wannabe franchise to major profits. Nowadays, it’s more common practice for studios like Marvel and Warner Bros. to hire up-and-coming talents, often fresh from the festival scene or their very first movie, and have them direct the latest addition to the series.
Related: The Highest-Grossing Movies Of 2018 (So Far)
That said, the true power remains with those familiar names who have decades of hits behind them. To celebrate that, we’re taking a look at the fifteen highest grossing directors of all time.
15: Gore Verbinski
Movies Directed: MouseHunt (1997), The Mexican (2001), The Ring (2002), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Rango (2011), The Lone Ranger (2013), A Cure for Wellness (2016).
Domestic: $1,529,314,174
International: $2,136,281,835
Worldwide Total: $3,665,596,009
Average: $305,466,334 (from 12 films)
Gore Verbinski had built a respectable reputation as a director long before he took on the risky endeavour of helming the first Pirates of the Caribbean film. At a time when adapting a Disney theme park ride was considered beyond foolish, Verbinski managed to craft a hugely enjoyable action-adventure genre mish-mash that brought Walt Disney Studios to the forefront of the blockbuster field at a time when it had few real players in that game. Combined, the first three films in the Pirates series have made around $2.7 billion worldwide.
14: Pierre Coffin
Movies Directed: Despicable Me (2010), Despicable Me 2 (2013), Minions (2015), Despicable Me 3 (2017).
Domestic: $1,220,249,440
International: $2,493,516,331
Worldwide Total: $3,713,765,771
Average: $928,441,443 (from 4 films)
French animator and director Pierre Coffin holds the illustrious honor of being the director on this list with the highest per-average gross. From only four films, all part of the same franchise, Coffin has become one of the biggest directorial successes of recent years. The Despicable Me franchise is already the 15th highest grossing franchise ever, just ahead of Mission: Impossible. Coffin could easily be credited as the man who made Illumination Entertainment what it is today. It is the first and only animated franchise with two films grossing over $1 billion worldwide. Even Pixar haven’t managed that. On top of that, Coffin is also the voice actor for several of the Minions.
13: ROLAND EMMERICH
Movies Directed: Universal Soldier (1992), Stargate (1994), Independence Day(1996), Godzilla (1998), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 10,000 BC (2008), 2012(2009), White House Down (2013), Independence Day: Resurgence (2016).
Domestic: $1,292,215,661
International: $2,568,866,193
Worldwide Total: $3,861,081,854
Average: $241,317,616 (from 16 films)
The German film-maker behind so very American disaster movies like Independence Day and White House Down has always been criticized for his focus on style over substance, but that hasn’t slowed down the box office grosses. In 1996, Independence Day made over $320 million more at the box office than its closest competitor, Twister.
Related: Roland Emmerich Scrapped Peaceful Version of Independence Day 2
12: Joe and Anthony Russo
Movies Directed: Welcome to Collinwood (2002), You, Me and Dupree (2006), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018).
Domestic: $1,422,448,799
International: $2,571,651,731
Worldwide Total: $3,994,100,530
Average: $798,820,106 (from 5 films)
The Russo Brothers were best known for their work on television shows like Community and their Owen Wilson comedy You, Me and Dupree when they signed on to direct the second Captain America film. Yet in an incredibly short amount of time, the pair have become the go-to directors of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and have arguably influenced its direction more than any other contributor to the franchise. Avengers: Infinity War is the undisputed champion of the 2018 box office and has already become the 3rd highest grossing film ever made. Will lightning strike twice when the fourth Avengers film premieres next year?
11: Tim Burton
Movies Directed: Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Alice in Wonderland (2010), Dark Shadows (2012), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016).
Domestic: $1,837,026,476
International: $2,222,021,663
Worldwide Total: $4,059,048,139
Average: $213,634,113 (from 19 films)
Of the top 15 highest grossing directors, Tim Burton may be the one with the most distinctive visual style. His gothic inspired flair – part Hammer Horror, part Victorian ghost stories, part Elvira – is so familiar to audiences that the word “Burtonesque” exists to describe such fare. After bringing Batman to the big screen for the first time in 1989, Burton went on to make a series of crowd pleasers before helping to birth Disney’s current age of live-action remakes with the billion dollar hit Alice in Wonderland. Up next is another return to Disney with Dumbo in 2019.
Page 2: The Top 10-6 Highest-Grossing Directors
10: Chris Columbus
Movies Directed: Adventures in Babysitting (1987), Home Alone (1990), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Rent (2005), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Pixels (2015).
Domestic: $1,749,668,269
International: $2,342,958,201
Worldwide Total: $4,092,626,470
Average: $255,789,154 (from 16 films)
In 1990, Home Alone was a minor phenomenon, becoming the highest grossing film of the year above titles like Pretty Woman, Die Hard 2 and Back to the Future Part III. Director Chris Columbus struck gold again in 1993 when Mrs. Doubtfire became the second highest grossing film of its year, behind Jurassic Park. Columbus established the Harry Potter franchise with the first two films, which combined made over $1.8 billion worldwide.
9: Ridley Scott
Movies Directed: Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Legend (1985), Thelma and Louise (1991), G.I. Jane (1997), Gladiator (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), American Gangster (2007), Robin Hood (2010), Prometheus (2012), The Martian (2015), Alien: Covenant (2017).
Domestic: $1,660,578,335
International: $2,458,577,718
Worldwide Total: $4,119,156,053
Average: $152,561,335 (from 27 films)
On only his second film, the iconic Alien, Ridley Scott became one of the must-watch directors in Hollywood, having already established himself by directing award-winning commercials. Since then, Scott has covered his fair share of genres and returned to the helm of the Alien franchise 33 years after he started it. Last year alone, he brought us the latest Alien movie as well the Getty biographical drama All The Money in the World, the latter of which underwent much-publicized reshoots in a startlingly short amount of time following revelations about actor Kevin Spacey. Now in his 80s, Scott seems to have no plans to slow down.
Related: Ridley Scott is Developing Gladiator Sequel
8: Ron Howard
Movies Directed: Splash (1984), Cocoon (1985), Willow (1988), Parenthood (1989), Apollo 13 (1995), The Grinch (2000), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Cinderella Man (2005), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Frost/Nixon (2008), Angels and Demons (2009), Inferno (2017), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).
Domestic: $2,100,425,360
International: $2,183,951,402
Worldwide Total: $4,284,376,762
Average: $158,680,621 (from 27 films)
Ron Howard may not be considered the coolest director on the list but he’s the strongest representative of the classic mode of studio film-making, where robust and versatile directors cover their bases in a variety of genres and styles. He’s made blockbusters, mid-budget dramas, family comedies, Oscar winners, and a Star Wars movie. For many in Hollywood, he’s a go-to director when a safe pair of hands are needed (as evidenced by him being called upon to take over directorial duties of Solo: A Star Wars Story).
7: Robert Zemeckis
Movies Directed: Romancing the Stone (1984), Back to the Future Trilogy (1985 - 1990), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Forrest Gump (1994), Contact (1997), Cast Away (2000), The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007), Flight (2012), The Walk (2015), Allied (2016).
Domestic: $2,090,823,381
International: $2,224,142,270
Worldwide Total: $4,314,965,651
Average: $215,748,283 (from 20 films)
Thanks to the success of Back to the Future, Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis became one of the most prominent directors in the industry. Since then, he’s focused heavily on films that meld high-concept storytelling with ground-breaking technological advances: From the blending of live-action and animation in Who Framed Roger Rabbit to the motion-capture work in films like Beowulf. Nowadays, he’s returned to the world of live-action but still with all the special effects he’s come to be defined by.
6: Christopher Nolan
Movies Directed: Memento (2000), Insomnia (2002), Batman Begins (2005), The Prestige (2006), The Dark Knight (2008), Inception (2010), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017).
Domestic: $2,003,488,880
International: $2,699,814,237
Worldwide Total: $4,703,303,117
Average: $427,573,011 (from 11 films)
After reinventing the Batman story for a new age and kicking off our current era of superhero driven blockbuster cinema, Christopher Nolan decided to stick to working on an epic scale, creating thematically ambitious films that were both perfect blockbuster fare and subverted many of its expectations. Last Summer saw the release of Dunkirk, the film that finally landed him a Best Director Oscar nomination. Nolan may be one of the few directors who can make a war movie (as well as original big-budget sci-fi stories like Inception and Interstellar) must-see viewing for the Summer for audiences of all ages.
Page 3: The Top 5 Highest-Grossing Directors
5: David Yates
Movies Directed: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 and 2 (2010 - 2011), The Legend of Tarzan (2016), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).
Domestic: $1,754,789,615
International: $4,021,028,910
Worldwide Total: $5,775,818,525
Average: $721,977,316 (from 8 films)
While British director David Yates has other films to his name, he is someone whose influence and box office power is tied directly to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter universe. He has directed more films in the Potter franchise than anyone else, and he was the one chosen to shepherd the Fantastic Beasts prequel series to the big screen. The ten films that make up the Wizarding World franchise have grossed more money than James Bond and Middle Earth, and the series is the third highest-grossing franchise of all time.
Related: David Yates May Direct All Five Fantastic Beasts Films
4: James Cameron
Movies Directed: The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009).
Domestic: $1,973,102,841
International: $4,249,295,623
Worldwide Total: $6,222,398,464
Average: $444,457,033 (from 14 films)
The two highest grossing films ever made are thanks to James Cameron. When Titanic surpassed everyone's expectations, overcoming a hoard of bad press to break box office records, he changed the game for Hollywood. He did it all over again 12 years later with Avatar, a special effects extravaganza that forced the industry to take technology driven cinema more seriously. No other film has come close to passing Avatar's worldwide gross of just under $2.8 billion. With more Avatar movies on the way, it remains foolish to bet against James Cameron making lots of money.
3: Michael Bay
Movies Directed: Bad Boys (1995), The Rock (1996), Armageddon (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001), Bad Boys II (2003), The Island (2005), Transformers series (2007 - 2017), 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016).
Domestic: $2,326,279,619
International: $4,117,369,966
Worldwide Total: $6,443,649,585
Average: $460,260,685 (from 14 films)
He may be a critical pariah and the butt of various jokes, but there’s no denying that Michael Bay is a money-making machine. The proudly bombastic director of pure unabashed maximalism makes big movies with big explosions and the budgets to match. Bay’s style is the topic of frequent attacks but it’s tough to argue with his status as one of the defining directors of the blockbuster age, and that very style has been copied by everyone following in his footsteps. The Transformers films, all five of which Bay directed, have made over $4.3 billion worldwide, with two films in the series each grossing $1 billion.
2: Peter Jackson
Movies Directed: Bad Taste (1987), Meet the Feebles (1989), Braindead (1992), Heavenly Creatures (1994), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001 - 2003), King Kong (2005), The Lovely Bones (2009), The Hobbit Trilogy (2012 - 2014).
Domestic: $2,134,466,451
International: $4,421,062,022
Worldwide Total: $6,555,528,473
Average: $504,271,421 (from 13 films)
Despite having made significantly less films than Spielberg – with most of his early output comprised of cheaply made B-movies – Peter Jackson’s back-catalog still commands immense control of the box office. Thanks to the success of one mega-franchise, the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, Jackson has soared above some tough competition. Even with a few financial disappointments under his belt - The Lovely Bones made $93.6 million from a $65 million budget – the sheer size of the gross from Middle Earth keeps Jackson close to the top.
1: Steven Spielberg
Movies Directed: Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), The Color Purple (1985), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Jurassic Park (1993), Schindler's List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998), War of the Worlds (2005), The Adventures of Tintin (2011), Ready Player One (2018).
Domestic: $4,533,846,204
International: $6,006,301,861
Worldwide Total: $10,540,148,065
Average: $292,781,891 (from 36 films)
Steven Spielberg is one of the most influential and well-known directors on the planet. He helped to reinvent the summer blockbuster event movie as we know it with Jaws, co-created one of the great action icons of 1980s cinema in Indiana Jones, and delighted critics as much as audiences, winning Best Director Oscars for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. Nowadays he flips between prestigious dramas like Bridge of Spies and The Post and the kind of barn-burning blockbuster fare he made his name on, such as this year's massive success, Ready Player One.
NEXT: The Winners and Losers of the 2018 Summer Box Office
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