Who is the all time highest paid film director in the world?

Steven Spielberg has enjoyed a long run as one of Hollywood’s most respected and successful directors. Spielberg's unadjusted gross income for all of the films he has directed exceeds $9 billion worldwide, making him the highest-grossing paid film director in history.

As a director, Spielberg holds the major role in making his films successful. He and all directors are responsible for everything needed to make a movie. The acting, sets, music, plot, and entire creation of a film are under the complete control of the specific director making the film.

Spielberg's box office list of money making films is impressive. It includes: Munich, War of the Worlds, War Horse, The Terminal, Catch Me If You Can, Minority Report, A.I., Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Hook, Always, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Empire of the Sun, The Color Purple, ET, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Schindler's List, Lincoln, 1941.

Besides Spielberg, other top grossing paid film directors are Peter Jackson ($6.5 billion), James Cameron ($6.1 billion), Michael Bay ($5.8 billion), Christopher Nolan ($4.4 billion), David Yates ($4.1 billion), Robert Zemeckis ($4 billion), Chris Columbus ($3.8 billion), Gore Verbinski ($3.7 billion), and Tim Burton ($3.6 billion).