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.
5. James Cameron
Responsible for three of the highest grossing films of all time - Titanic, Avatar and Avatar: The Way of the Water - James Cameron's highly commercial film making has earned him in the region of $800 million. | Getty Images
6. Michael Bay
He may be unlikely to bother the Academy Award judges, but Michael Bay's action blockbusters including Pearl Harbour, Armageddon and the Transformers series have earned over $7.8 billion at the box office - netting their creator around $450 million. | Getty Images
7. Mel Gibson
Originally better known as an actor, Mel Gibson successfully made the move into directing - most famously on the Oscar-winning Braveheart. His career has earned him around $425 million to date. | Getty Images
8. Francis Ford Coppola
Best known for The Godfather trilogy, Francis Ford Coppola has won five Oscars for writing and directing. He's also made around $400 million. | Getty Images