They're directors who can almost guarantee a box office hit by having their name on the poster.
And the leading lights of the filmmaking industry can earn millions of dollars per film from cinema reciepts and, increasingly, streaming revenue.
Add in a few adverts and shrewd investments, and these celluloid auteurs can become fabulously wealthy.
Here are the top 13 film directors in the world in 2024, according to CelebrityNetWorth.
1. Steven Spielberg
Topping the list of wealthiest film directors is Steven Spielberg. The creator of the modern blockbuster - thanks to smash hits like Jaws, the original Indiana Jones trilogy, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - he's also been critically lauded for later work such as Schindler's List, Empire of the Sun and The Fabelmans. Success over five decades has seen him build a fortune estimated at $8 billion.
2. George Lucas
When George Lucas released an unfancied space opera in 1977 little did he - or anyone else - know how it would turn out. The film was Star Wars, the rest is history, and Lucas is now worth in the region of $7 billion.
3. Peter Jackson
New Zealand director Peter Jackson started his career with low buget horror films. He hit paydirt with the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy which has helped him amass a fortune estimated at $1 billion.
4. Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is a one man entertainmment industry - directing, producing, acting and writing in cinema, television and the theatre. To date he's produced over 30 movies, 20 stage productions, and eight TV shows - earning somewhere in the region of $850 million.