Actors make the most amount of money in films but directors are not far behind too. In fact, celebrity filmmakers like SS Rajamouli and Sanjay Leela Bhansali often charge more than their stars as their name adds more to the movie than the cast. This has enabled many successful directors to be extremely wealthy. The funny thing, however, is that the richest film director in the world is someone who has not made a film in close to 20 years and has only five hits in his entire career.
World’s richest film director is...
The richest film director in the world is the creator of the Star Wars franchise – George Lucas. As per Forbes, the 80 year-old has a staggering net worth of $5.2 billion (Rs 43,000 crore). This has allowed Lucas to beat longtime friend and collaborator Steven Spielberg in the list, who sits at second place with a net worth of around $4 billion (Rs 32,000 crore). George Lucas made his debut as a film director at the age of 27 with the 1971 film THX 1138, which was a sleeper hit. He followed it up with American Graffiti two years later, which was a hit as well. However, he found mainstream fame with his next film – the iconic 1977 blockbuster Star Wars. The filmmaker did not return for the film’s two sequels, choosing only to produce them. However, two decades later, Lucas returned with the series prequel trilogy, directing all three films between 1999 and 2005. Since Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, he has stayed away from direction.
How George Lucas made his billions
The bulk of George Lucas’ money has come from the Star Wars universe, which currently stands at 11 films and 16 TV series, both live-action and animated, apart from books, video games, and other merchandise. As of July 2024, the Star Wars franchise has grossed $46.7 billion worldwide, including $10 billion from the films alone. As the producer and creator of the franchise, Lucas has earned a significant portion of the loot. Lucas has also created the Indiana Jones series, which has grossed $2.6 billion. He is also the founder of video game licensor LucasArts, visual effects company Industrial Light and Magic, and audio company THX. He success of these companies, and the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney, has made Lucas this wealthy.
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