List of highest-grossing film directors

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The following is a non-definitive list of the film directors with the highest career film grosses as of June 2025[update]. The list is not adjusted for inflation.

## Worldwide

[edit]

Highest-grossing directors worldwide[1][2] Rank  | Name  | Worldwide box office  | Highest-grossing film

|
|
|

1  | Steven Spielberg | $10,704,875,489  | $1,114,456,337 (Jurassic Park)
2  | James Cameron | $8,705,262,273  | $2,923,706,026 (Avatar)
3  | Russo brothers | $6,790,000,000  | $2,799,439,100 (Avengers: Endgame)
4  | Peter Jackson | $6,553,022,508  | $1,156,598,523 (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
5  | Michael Bay | $6,495,849,210  | $1,123,794,079 (Transformers: Dark of the Moon)
6  | David Yates | $6,350,000,000  | $1,356,962,211 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2)
7  | Christopher Nolan | $6,247,259,241  | $1,114,975,066 (The Dark Knight Rises)
8  | Ridley Scott | $5,020,000,000  | $653,609,107 (The Martian)
9  | Tim Burton | $4,905,915,904  | $1,025,491,110 (Alice in Wonderland)
10  | J. J. Abrams | $4,659,955,087  | $2,071,310,218 (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
11  | Ron Howard | $4,400,469,205  | $767,820,459 (The Da Vinci Code)
12  | Robert Zemeckis | $4,386,878,031  | $679,835,137 (Forrest Gump)
13  | Jon Favreau | $4,365,412,473  | $1,663,079,059 (The Lion King)
14  | Sam Raimi | $4,260,564,038  | $955,755,804 (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
15  | James Wan | $4,147,415,479  | $1,515,342,457 (Furious 7)
16  | Chris Columbus | $4,092,834,475  | $1,024,465,951 (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)
17  | Roland Emmerich | $4,063,695,327  | $817,400,891 (Independence Day)
18  | Jon Watts | $3,934,883,628  | $1,921,847,111 (Spider-Man: No Way Home)
19  | Gore Verbinski | $3,753,720,075  | $1,066,179,747 (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)
20  | Bryan Singer | $3,727,363,476  | $910,813,521 (Bohemian Rhapsody)
21  | Pierre Coffin | $3,710,005,544  | $1,159,457,503 (Minions)
22  | Francis Lawrence | $3,709,152,619  | $865,011,746 (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire)
23  | Clint Eastwood | $3,486,187,779  | $547,659,020 (American Sniper)
24  | George Lucas | $3,448,700,011  | $1,027,083,462 (Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace)
25  | Brad Bird | $3,433,470,811  | $1,243,225,667 (Incredibles 2)
26  | M. Night Shyamalan | $3,233,903,433  | $672,806,292 (The Sixth Sense)
27  | Todd Phillips | $3,216,896,406  | $1,078,958,629 (Joker)
28  | Chris Renaud | $3,203,484,672  | $970,766,005 (Despicable Me 2)
29  | Zack Snyder | $3,179,446,510  | $874,362,803 (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
30  | Kyle Balda | $3,129,490,972  | $1,157,271,759 (Minions)

## See also

[edit]

* Film portal

* List of highest-grossing actors
* List of highest-grossing film producers
* Lists of highest-grossing films
* List of highest-grossing films
* List of highest-grossing films in the United States and Canada

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Top Grossing Director at the Worldwide Box Office". The Numbers. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
2. ^ "World's top-grossing movie directors 2025". Statista. Retrieved 2025-05-27.

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