List of highest-grossing film directors
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:41:07 PM Wikipedia source
The following is a non-definitive list of the film directors with the highest career film grosses as of February 2026. The list is not adjusted for inflation.
Tables
Highest-grossing directors worldwide · Worldwide
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Rank
1
Name
Steven Spielberg
Worldwide box office
$10,722,123,483
Highest-grossing film
$1,037,535,230 (Jurassic Park)
James Cameron
James Cameron
Rank
2
Name
James Cameron
Worldwide box office
$10,591,396,628
Highest-grossing film
$2,923,710,708 (Avatar)
Russo brothers
Russo brothers
Rank
3
Name
Russo brothers
Worldwide box office
$6,763,018,339
Highest-grossing film
$2,799,439,100 (Avengers: Endgame)
Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Rank
4
Name
Peter Jackson
Worldwide box office
$6,553,022,508
Highest-grossing film
$1,156,598,523 (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
Michael Bay
Michael Bay
Rank
5
Name
Michael Bay
Worldwide box office
$6,495,849,210
Highest-grossing film
$1,123,794,079 (Transformers: Dark of the Moon)
David Yates
David Yates
Rank
6
Name
David Yates
Worldwide box office
$6,354,627,148
Highest-grossing film
$1,356,962,211 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2)
Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan
Rank
7
Name
Christopher Nolan
Worldwide box office
$6,046,672,096
Highest-grossing film
$1,114,975,066 (The Dark Knight Rises)
Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Rank
8
Name
Ridley Scott
Worldwide box office
$5,043,593,396
Highest-grossing film
$653,609,107 (The Martian)
Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Rank
9
Name
Tim Burton
Worldwide box office
$4,876,242,675
Highest-grossing film
$1,025,491,110 (Alice in Wonderland)
J. J. Abrams
J. J. Abrams
Rank
10
Name
J. J. Abrams
Worldwide box office
$4,637,580,337
Highest-grossing film
$2,071,310,218 (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis
Rank
11
Name
Robert Zemeckis
Worldwide box office
$4,396,123,401
Highest-grossing film
$679,835,137 (Forrest Gump)
Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau
Rank
12
Name
Jon Favreau
Worldwide box office
$4,336,018,074
Highest-grossing film
$1,663,079,059 (The Lion King)
Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Rank
13
Name
Ron Howard
Worldwide box office
$4,310,835,830
Highest-grossing film
$767,820,459 (The Da Vinci Code)
Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi
Rank
14
Name
Sam Raimi
Worldwide box office
$4,266,568,715
Highest-grossing film
$955,755,804 (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
Chris Renaud
Chris Renaud
Rank
15
Name
Chris Renaud
Worldwide box office
$4,176,449,267
Highest-grossing film
$972,964,428 (Despicable Me 4)
James Wan
James Wan
Rank
16
Name
James Wan
Worldwide box office
$4,174,708,796
Highest-grossing film
$1,515,342,457 (Furious 7)
Chris Columbus
Chris Columbus
Rank
17
Name
Chris Columbus
Worldwide box office
$4,092,285,485
Highest-grossing film
$1,024,465,951 (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)
Shawn Levy
Shawn Levy
Rank
18
Name
Shawn Levy
Worldwide box office
$4,050,867,277
Highest-grossing film
$1,338,071,348 (Deadpool & Wolverine)
Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich
Rank
19
Name
Roland Emmerich
Worldwide box office
$4,015,708,066
Highest-grossing film
$817,400,891 (Independence Day)
Jon Watts
Jon Watts
Rank
20
Name
Jon Watts
Worldwide box office
$3,934,883,628
Highest-grossing film
$1,921,847,111 (Spider-Man: No Way Home)
Byron Howard
Byron Howard
Rank
21
Name
Byron Howard
Worldwide box office
$3,838,760,177
Highest-grossing film
$1,834,140,777 (Zootopia 2)
Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence
Rank
22
Name
Francis Lawrence
Worldwide box office
$3,758,130,588
Highest-grossing film
$865,011,746 (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire)
Pierre Coffin
Pierre Coffin
Rank
23
Name
Pierre Coffin
Worldwide box office
$3,710,005,544
Highest-grossing film
$1,159,457,503 (Minions)
Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer
Rank
24
Name
Bryan Singer
Worldwide box office
$3,708,723,733
Highest-grossing film
$910,813,521 (Bohemian Rhapsody)
Gore Verbinski
Gore Verbinski
Rank
25
Name
Gore Verbinski
Worldwide box office
$3,679,473,328
Highest-grossing film
$1,066,179,747 (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)
George Lucas
George Lucas
Rank
26
Name
George Lucas
Worldwide box office
$3,522,061,896
Highest-grossing film
$1,027,083,462 (Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace)
Brad Bird
Brad Bird
Rank
27
Name
Brad Bird
Worldwide box office
$3,433,846,498
Highest-grossing film
$1,243,225,667 (Incredibles 2)
Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips
Rank
28
Name
Todd Phillips
Worldwide box office
$3,393,161,492
Highest-grossing film
$1,078,958,629 (Joker)
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Rank
29
Name
Clint Eastwood
Worldwide box office
$3,370,612,544
Highest-grossing film
$547,659,020 (American Sniper)
James Gunn
James Gunn
Rank
30
Name
James Gunn
Worldwide box office
$3,315,717,048
Highest-grossing film
$863,756,903 (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)
| Rank | Name | Worldwide box office | Highest-grossing film |
| 1 | Steven Spielberg | $10,722,123,483 | $1,037,535,230 (Jurassic Park) |
| 2 | James Cameron | $10,591,396,628 | $2,923,710,708 (Avatar) |
| 3 | Russo brothers | $6,763,018,339 | $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 | $6,354,627,148 | $1,356,962,211 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2) |
| 7 | Christopher Nolan | $6,046,672,096 | $1,114,975,066 (The Dark Knight Rises) |
| 8 | Ridley Scott | $5,043,593,396 | $653,609,107 (The Martian) |
| 9 | Tim Burton | $4,876,242,675 | $1,025,491,110 (Alice in Wonderland) |
| 10 | J. J. Abrams | $4,637,580,337 | $2,071,310,218 (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) |
| 11 | Robert Zemeckis | $4,396,123,401 | $679,835,137 (Forrest Gump) |
| 12 | Jon Favreau | $4,336,018,074 | $1,663,079,059 (The Lion King) |
| 13 | Ron Howard | $4,310,835,830 | $767,820,459 (The Da Vinci Code) |
| 14 | Sam Raimi | $4,266,568,715 | $955,755,804 (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) |
| 15 | Chris Renaud | $4,176,449,267 | $972,964,428 (Despicable Me 4) |
| 16 | James Wan | $4,174,708,796 | $1,515,342,457 (Furious 7) |
| 17 | Chris Columbus | $4,092,285,485 | $1,024,465,951 (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) |
| 18 | Shawn Levy | $4,050,867,277 | $1,338,071,348 (Deadpool & Wolverine) |
| 19 | Roland Emmerich | $4,015,708,066 | $817,400,891 (Independence Day) |
| 20 | Jon Watts | $3,934,883,628 | $1,921,847,111 (Spider-Man: No Way Home) |
| 21 | Byron Howard | $3,838,760,177 | $1,834,140,777 (Zootopia 2) |
| 22 | Francis Lawrence | $3,758,130,588 | $865,011,746 (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) |
| 23 | Pierre Coffin | $3,710,005,544 | $1,159,457,503 (Minions) |
| 24 | Bryan Singer | $3,708,723,733 | $910,813,521 (Bohemian Rhapsody) |
| 25 | Gore Verbinski | $3,679,473,328 | $1,066,179,747 (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest) |
| 26 | George Lucas | $3,522,061,896 | $1,027,083,462 (Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace) |
| 27 | Brad Bird | $3,433,846,498 | $1,243,225,667 (Incredibles 2) |
| 28 | Todd Phillips | $3,393,161,492 | $1,078,958,629 (Joker) |
| 29 | Clint Eastwood | $3,370,612,544 | $547,659,020 (American Sniper) |
| 30 | James Gunn | $3,315,717,048 | $863,756,903 (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) |