Last Updated: January 26, 2020

With billions of dollars in earnings 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.

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. Roland Emmerich

  • Top Movies Directed: Universal Soldier (1992), Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), The Patriot (2000) The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 10,000 BC (2008), 2012(2009), White House Down (2013), Independence Day: Resurgence (2016), Midway (2019). Domestic: $1,349,062,463 International: $2,604,537,719 Worldwide Total: $3,953,600,182 Average: $304,123,091 (from 13 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. His 2019 war film, Midway, also topped the box office for a time.

14. Chris Columbus

  • Top 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 and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Pixels (2015). Domestic: $1,750,209,687 International: $2,342,958,201 Worldwide Total: $4,093,167,888 Average: $272,877,859 (from 15 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 then established the Harry Potter franchise with the first two films, which combined made over $1.8 billion worldwide.

13. Ridley Scott

  • Top Movies Directed: Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Legend (1985), Thelma and Louise (1991), G.I. Jane (1997), Gladiator (2000), Hannibal (2001), Black Hawk Down (2001), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), American Gangster (2007), Robin Hood (2010), Prometheus (2012), The Martian (2015), Alien: Covenant (2017), All the Money in the World (2017). Domestic: $1,660,578,335 International: $2,546,575,708 Worldwide Total: $4,207,154,043 Average: $168,286,162 (from 25 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. In 2017 alone, he brought audiences 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.

12. Ron Howard

  • Top Movies Directed: Splash (1984), Cocoon (1985), Willow (1988), Parenthood (1989), Backdraft (1991) Apollo 13 (1995), Ransom (1996), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (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: $2,105,111,762 International: $2,195,125,080 Worldwide Total: $4,300,236,842 Average: $172,009,474 (from 25 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 on Solo: A Star Wars Story).

11. Robert Zemeckis

  • Top Movies Directed: Romancing the Stone (1984), Back to the Future Trilogy (1985 - 1990), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Death Becomes Her (1992) Forrest Gump (1994), Contact (1997), What Lies Beneath (2000), Cast Away (2000), The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007), Flight (2012), The Walk (2015), Allied (2016), Welcome to Marwen (2018). Domestic: $2,103,136,169 International: $2,226,741,293 Worldwide Total: $4,329,877,462 Average: $227,888,287 (from 19 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.

10. Jon Favreau

  • Top Movies Directed: Elf (2003), Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005), Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Cowboys and Aliens (2011), The Jungle Book (2016), The Lion King (2019). Domestic: $1,878,450,274 International: $2,455,399,271 Worldwide Total: $4,333,849,545 Average: $481,538,838 (from 9 films)

Jon Favreau started out as a comedic actor before finding his true calling behind the camera, although he still acts from time to time, such as playing Happy Hogan in the MCU. Favreau of course helped launch the MCU by directing the first two Iron Man films, and in recent years, has helmed two mammothly successful Disney remakes in The Jungle Book and The Lion King.

9. Tim Burton

  • Top Movies Directed: Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), Ed Wood (1994) Sleepy Hollow (1999), Planet of the Apes (2001), 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), Dumbo (2019). Domestic: $1,952,305,730 International: $2,460,348,169 Worldwide Total: $4,412,653,899 Average: $232,244,942 (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, and later continue it with Dumbo in 2019.

8. J.J. Abrams

  • Top Movies Directed: Mission: Impossible III (2006), Star Trek (2009), Super 8 (2011), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Domestic: $2,185,259,572 International: $2,440,728,880 Worldwide Total: $4,625,988,452 Average: $768,644,669 (from 6 films)

Once upon a time, J.J. Abrams was best known for his work producing, writing, and directing TV shows, but in more recent times, he’s become a Hollywood bigshot by successfully reinventing the two biggest franchises in sci-fi: Star Trek and Star Wars. Now that the Skywalker saga is over, it’s unclear what Abrams will direct next, but the eyes of the world will certainly be upon it.

7. Christopher Nolan

  • Top 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: $2,003,864,469 International: $2,700,391,359 Worldwide Total: $4,704,255,828 Average: $470,425,583 (from 10 films)

After reinventing the Batman story for a new age and kicking off the 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. 2017 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 during the summer for audiences of all ages.

6. David Yates

  • Top 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: $1,791,787,800 International: $4,192,152,113 Worldwide Total: $5,983,939,913 Average: $854,848,559 (from 7 films)

While British director David Yates has other films to his name, he’s 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.

5. James Cameron

  • Top Movies Directed: The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009). Domestic: $1,973,102,841 International: $4,262,628,452 Worldwide Total: $6,235,731,293 Average: $779,466,412 (from 8 films)

Two of the 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 came close to passing Avatar’s worldwide gross of just under $2.8 billion, until Avengers: Endgame finally crossed that mark in 2019. With more Avatar movies on the way, it remains foolish to bet against James Cameron making lots of money.

4. Michael Bay

  • Top 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: $4,117,388,498 Worldwide Total: $6,443,668,117 Average: $495,666,778 (from 13 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.

3. Peter Jackson

  • Top Movies Directed: Bad Taste (1987), Meet the Feebles (1989), Braindead (1992), Heavenly Creatures (1994), The Frighteners (1996), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001 - 2003), King Kong (2005), The Lovely Bones (2009), The Hobbit Trilogy (2012 - 2014). Domestic: $2,152,298,031 International: $4,393,744,584 Worldwide Total: $6,546,042,615 Average: $503,541,740 (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.

2. Joe and Anthony Russo

  • Top Movies Directed: You, Me and Dupree (2006), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019). Domestic: $2,280,821,799 International: $4,563,426,767 Worldwide Total: $6,844,248,566 Average: $1,140,708,094 (from 6 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 was the undisputed champion of the 2018 box office and Avengers: Endgame accomplished the same feat in 2019, going on to take the title of highest-grossing movie ever in the process.

1. Steven Spielberg

  • Top 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: $4,542,164,603 International: $6,006,292,258 Worldwide Total: $10,548,456,861 Average: $329,639,277 (from 32 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 2018’s massive success, Ready Player One.