Steven Spielberg has become the first member of the $10 billion directors’ club.
With his latest film, Ready Player One, approaching $500 million at the global box office, Spielberg’s pictures have grossed a combined $10 billion at the worldwide box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
That doesn’t account for inflation. which is impossible to tabulate for foreign markets.
The figure includes tallies of $4.649 billion domestically and $5.351 billion internationally.
When adjusting domestic ticket sales for inflation, the 33 movies Spielberg has helmed, beginning with 1974’s The Sugarland Express, have earned a combined $10.4 billion in North America, Box Office Mojo says.
Even before Ready Player One, Spielberg has long ranked as the world’s top-grossing director, thanks to the first two Jurassic Park films, the Indiana Jones franchise, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, War of the Worlds and Saving Private Ryan, among other hits.
After Spielberg, the next top-grossing directors at the global box office are:
Peter Jackson ($6.521 billion)
Michael Bay ($6.451 billion)
James Cameron ($6.139 billion)
They are the only other filmmakers whose movies have earned $6 billion or more worldwide.