List of highest-grossing film directors
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.
Worldwide
| Rank | Name | Worldwide box office | Highest-grossing film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steven Spielberg | $10,722,123,483 | $1,037,535,230 (Jurassic Park) |
| 2 | James Cameron | $10,170,932,803 | $2,923,710,708 (Avatar) |
| 3 | Anthony Russo Joe Russo |
$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) |
See also
- List of highest-grossing actors
- List of highest-grossing film producers
- Lists of highest-grossing films
References
- ^ "Top Grossing Director at the Worldwide Box Office". The Numbers. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ^ "World's top-grossing movie directors 2025". Statista. Retrieved 2025-05-27.