Spielberg first made a splash in the 1970s, helming the first-ever summer blockbuster, Jaws, after an infamously complicated production. He’s remained on Hollywood’s A-list in the decades since, with even the most casual moviegoers knowing his name is a stamp of quality.
With his upcoming movie Disclosure Day heading to theaters soon, let’s take a closer look at Spielberg’s net worth and how he built it.
Not only is Spielberg one of the most respected and recognizable names in the industry, but he’s also one of the wealthiest producers/directors in Hollywood. Forbes estimates his net worth at $7.1 billion.
With his films grossing over $10.75 billion worldwide, Spielberg is the highest-grossing director of all time, even without adjusting for inflation. The iconic director often forgoes a large upfront salary in exchange for a percentage of a film’s profits. This strategy reportedly earned him an estimated $250 million (about $360 million today) for the original Jurassic Park alone.
In 1994, fresh off the record-shattering success of Jurassic Park, Spielberg co-founded DreamWorks Pictures with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. This studio went on to produce hits like Amistad. Its animation arm gave us beloved franchises like Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon.
Of course, this wasn’t his first foray into founding studios. Back in 1981, he co-founded Amblin Entertainment, the powerhouse behind E.T. It’s safe to say that owning the studios that produce some of the highest-grossing films of all time has been a rather lucrative side hustle, adding quite a few commas to his net worth.
On top of his massive media empire, Spielberg also acts as a consultant for Universal Studios’ international theme parks. And, according to Forbes, “a slice of the cash from every ticket at Universal theme parks goes directly into his pocket.” With parks in Hollywood, Florida, and Japan, that’s a whole lot of slices.
Plus, the 79-year-old director shows no signs of slowing down, with his next blockbuster, Disclosure Day, dropping in June. It seems Spielberg won’t stop stacking those billions anytime soon…