Box Office Star Records > Domestic > Lifetime Specific Technical Role > Top Domestic Screenwriters
Top Grossing Screenwriter at the Domestic Box OfficeBETA
See also: Top Domestic Art Directors - Top Domestic Assistant Directors - Top Domestic Assistant Editors - Top Domestic Associate Producers - Top Domestic Casting Directors - Top Domestic Cinematographers - Top Domestic Co-Producers - Top Domestic Composers - Top Domestic Costume Designers - Top Domestic Costume Supervisors - Top Domestic Dialogue Editors - Top Domestic Directors - Top Domestic Editors - Top Domestic Executive Producers - Top Domestic Make-up and Hair Designers - Top Domestic Music Editors - Top Domestic Music Supervisors - Top Domestic Producers - Top Domestic Production Designers - Top Domestic Re-recording Mixers - Top Domestic Second Unit Directors - Top Domestic Set Decorators - Top Domestic Set Designers - Top Domestic Sound Designers - Top Domestic Sound Editors - Top Domestic Sound Effects Editors - Top Domestic Sound Mixers - Top Domestic Story Creators - Top Domestic Stunt Coordinators - Top Domestic Supervising Sound Editors - Top Domestic Unit Production Managers - Top Domestic Visual Effects Supervisors - Top International Screenwriters - Top Worldwide Screenwriters
This list shows the highest grossing Screenwriters based on the domestic box office of the movies they worked on.
Since we are still actively researching technical roles, we consider this chart to be in beta mode. The table includes data for movies in The Numbers database. While we make every effort to collect all available data, there are inevitably omissions and errors. Please help us by sending corrections to corrections@the-numbers.com.
1
Christopher Markus
| Best known as a Screenwriter based on credits in that role in 12 films. |
| Top films contributed to this record: Avengers: Endgame ($858,373,000 in 2019), Avengers: Infinity War ($678,815,482 in 2018), Captain America: Civil War ($408,084,349 in 2016), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ($291,710,957 in 2005), Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($259,746,958 in 2014), Thor: The Dark World ($206,362,140 in 2013), Captain America: The First Avenger ($176,654,505 in 2011), The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian ($141,621,490 in 2008), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ($104,386,950 in 2010), Pain & Gain ($49,875,291 in 2013) |
2
Stephen McFeely
| Best known as a Screenwriter based on credits in that role in 12 films. |
| Top films contributed to this record: Avengers: Endgame ($858,373,000 in 2019), Avengers: Infinity War ($678,815,482 in 2018), Captain America: Civil War ($408,084,349 in 2016), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ($291,710,957 in 2005), Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($259,746,958 in 2014), Thor: The Dark World ($206,362,140 in 2013), Captain America: The First Avenger ($176,654,505 in 2011), The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian ($141,621,490 in 2008), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ($104,386,950 in 2010), Pain & Gain ($49,875,291 in 2013) |
3
James Cameron
| Best known as a Director based on credits in that role in 14 films. |
| Top films contributed to this record: Avatar ($785,221,649 in 2009), Avatar: The Way of Water ($684,075,767 in 2022), Titanic ($674,460,013 in 1997), Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($203,464,105 in 1991), Rambo: First Blood Part II ($150,415,432 in 1985), True Lies ($146,282,411 in 1994), Alita: Battle Angel ($85,838,210 in 2019), Aliens ($85,160,248 in 1986), The Abyss ($54,763,229 in 1989), The Terminator ($38,019,031 in 1984) |
Complete List
| Rank | Name | Domestic Box Office |
Movies | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christopher Markus | $3,175,631,122 | 12 | $264,635,927 |
| 2 | Stephen McFeely | $3,175,631,122 | 12 | $264,635,927 |
| 3 | James Cameron | $2,915,618,657 | 13 | $224,278,358 |
| 4 | David Koepp | $2,603,464,345 | 33 | $78,892,859 |
| 5 | Steve Kloves | $2,511,152,155 | 13 | $193,165,550 |
| 6 | Andrew Stanton | $2,489,053,184 | 9 | $276,561,465 |
| 7 | Chris McKenna | $2,357,191,645 | 8 | $294,648,956 |
| 8 | Erik Sommers | $2,337,663,043 | 7 | $333,951,863 |
| 9 | Christopher Nolan | $2,325,382,136 | 10 | $232,538,214 |
| 10 | Terry Rossio | $2,324,626,269 | 18 | $129,145,904 |
| 11 | Lawrence Kasdan | $2,299,330,209 | 14 | $164,237,872 |
| 12 | Ehren Kruger | $2,174,360,386 | 17 | $127,903,552 |
| 13 | Fran Walsh | $2,159,349,314 | 12 | $179,945,776 |
| 14 | Peter Jackson | $2,159,349,314 | 11 | $196,304,483 |
| 15 | George Lucas | $2,071,542,833 | 6 | $345,257,139 |
| 16 | Ted Elliott | $2,062,797,637 | 12 | $171,899,803 |
| 17 | J.J. Abrams | $1,955,927,093 | 7 | $279,418,156 |
| 18 | Amanda Silver | $1,924,039,164 | 8 | $240,504,896 |
| 19 | Philippa Boyens | $1,921,669,568 | 10 | $192,166,957 |
| 20 | Chris Morgan | $1,792,106,570 | 14 | $128,007,612 |
| 21 | Christopher McQuarrie | $1,788,927,844 | 11 | $162,629,804 |
| 22 | Ken Daurio | $1,776,917,939 | 9 | $197,435,327 |
| 23 | Cinco Paul | $1,776,917,939 | 8 | $222,114,742 |
| 24 | Akiva Goldsman | $1,759,922,053 | 19 | $92,627,476 |
| 25 | Michael Arndt | $1,752,248,971 | 6 | $292,041,495 |
| 26 | Roberto Orci | $1,739,093,035 | 10 | $173,909,304 |
| 27 | Alex Kurtzman | $1,739,093,035 | 10 | $173,909,304 |
| 28 | Rick Jaffa | $1,715,493,575 | 7 | $245,070,511 |
| 29 | Jonathan Aibel | $1,590,537,331 | 12 | $132,544,778 |
| 30 | Glenn Berger | $1,590,537,331 | 12 | $132,544,778 |
| 31 | M. Night Shyamalan | $1,567,844,449 | 15 | $104,522,963 |
| 32 | Tony Gilroy | $1,522,275,937 | 16 | $95,142,246 |
| 33 | Colin Trevorrow | $1,446,877,465 | 3 | $482,292,488 |
| 34 | John Logan | $1,444,559,766 | 19 | $76,029,461 |
| 35 | Linda Woolverton | $1,436,522,196 | 8 | $179,565,275 |
| 36 | Ryan Coogler | $1,436,003,820 | 6 | $239,333,970 |
| 37 | Melissa Rosenberg | $1,431,250,467 | 7 | $204,464,352 |
| 38 | Jeff Nathanson | $1,404,266,319 | 11 | $127,660,574 |
| 39 | James Gunn | $1,402,957,443 | 12 | $116,913,120 |
| 40 | Joss Whedon | $1,383,787,303 | 8 | $172,973,413 |
| 41 | Peter Craig | $1,330,629,200 | 9 | $147,847,689 |
| 42 | Robert Wade | $1,322,357,364 | 9 | $146,928,596 |
| 43 | Neal Purvis | $1,317,945,194 | 8 | $164,743,149 |
| 44 | Guillermo del Toro | $1,317,561,132 | 18 | $73,197,841 |
| 45 | David S. Goyer | $1,281,471,419 | 14 | $91,533,673 |
| 46 | Scott Rosenberg | $1,259,643,670 | 11 | $114,513,061 |
| 47 | Derek Connolly | $1,251,512,854 | 6 | $208,585,476 |
| 48 | Sylvester Stallone | $1,245,372,915 | 19 | $65,545,943 |
| 49 | Simon Kinberg | $1,237,260,143 | 12 | $103,105,012 |
| 50 | Jennifer Lee | $1,232,191,693 | 6 | $205,365,282 |
| 51 | Brad Bird | $1,226,009,914 | 6 | $204,334,986 |
| 52 | Jeff Pinkner | $1,223,996,220 | 7 | $174,856,603 |
| 53 | Jonathan Nolan | $1,223,482,375 | 4 | $305,870,594 |
| 54 | Chris Terrio | $1,211,770,939 | 5 | $242,354,188 |
| 55 | Eric Roth | $1,207,088,465 | 18 | $67,060,470 |
| 56 | John Hughes | $1,194,190,087 | 19 | $62,852,110 |
| 57 | Joe Robert Cole | $1,153,888,626 | 4 | $288,472,157 |
| 58 | Roland Emmerich | $1,083,891,331 | 8 | $135,486,416 |
| 59 | Phil Lord | $1,060,228,450 | 5 | $212,045,690 |
| 60 | Christopher Miller | $1,060,228,450 | 6 | $176,704,742 |
| 61 | Adam Sandler | $1,054,738,788 | 14 | $75,338,485 |
| 62 | J. David Stem | $1,045,886,270 | 9 | $116,209,586 |
| 63 | Todd Phillips | $1,026,852,048 | 10 | $102,685,205 |
| 64 | Alvin Sargent | $1,024,838,178 | 8 | $128,104,772 |
| 65 | Chris Weitz | $1,007,483,169 | 9 | $111,942,574 |
| 66 | Rhett Reese | $992,050,296 | 13 | $76,311,561 |
| 67 | Paul Wernick | $989,127,942 | 12 | $82,427,329 |
| 68 | Matthew Fogel | $983,120,509 | 3 | $327,706,836 |
| 69 | Brian Lynch | $972,440,325 | 4 | $243,110,081 |
| 70 | John August | $966,033,075 | 11 | $87,821,189 |
| 71 | John Hamburg | $965,601,591 | 10 | $96,560,159 |
| 72 | William Broyles Jr. | $959,416,816 | 7 | $137,059,545 |
| 73 | Meg LeFauve | $957,612,548 | 4 | $239,403,137 |
| 74 | Michael McCullers | $937,235,764 | 7 | $133,890,823 |
| 75 | Noah Baumbach | $919,449,928 | 14 | $65,674,995 |
| 76 | Gary Dauberman | $918,390,826 | 9 | $102,043,425 |
| 77 | Tim Herlihy | $918,131,039 | 11 | $83,466,458 |
| 78 | Eric Warren Singer | $912,621,855 | 7 | $130,374,551 |
| 79 | Billy Ray | $911,989,085 | 15 | $60,799,272 |
| 80 | David N. Weiss | $906,918,635 | 8 | $113,364,829 |
| 81 | Luc Besson | $906,578,087 | 29 | $31,261,313 |
| 82 | Robert Mark Kamen | $896,084,354 | 15 | $59,738,957 |
| 83 | Steven Zaillian | $895,093,623 | 16 | $55,943,351 |
| 84 | Nicholas Stoller | $887,829,110 | 16 | $55,489,319 |
| 85 | Andrew Adamson | $887,273,830 | 5 | $177,454,766 |
| 86 | Harold Ramis | $881,452,309 | 11 | $80,132,028 |
| 87 | Adam McKay | $877,750,548 | 10 | $87,775,055 |
| 88 | David Callaham | $871,450,767 | 8 | $108,931,346 |
| 89 | Irene Mecchi | $870,748,000 | 5 | $174,149,600 |
| 90 | Rian Johnson | $869,107,390 | 6 | $144,851,232 |
| 91 | Scott Frank | $866,938,989 | 12 | $72,244,916 |
| 92 | Mark Bomback | $861,126,836 | 11 | $78,284,258 |
| 93 | Joe Stillman | $857,547,165 | 5 | $171,509,433 |
| 94 | Jeffrey Price | $856,881,953 | 5 | $171,376,391 |
| 95 | Peter S. Seaman | $856,881,953 | 5 | $171,376,391 |
| 96 | Gary Ross | $855,163,212 | 7 | $122,166,173 |
| 97 | Quentin Tarantino | $834,282,181 | 14 | $59,591,584 |
| 98 | Bob Peterson | $826,434,649 | 4 | $206,608,662 |
| 99 | Dan Fogelman | $826,097,350 | 10 | $82,609,735 |
| 100 | Tyler Perry | $815,018,870 | 21 | $38,810,422 |
The Domestic Market is defined as the North American movie territory (consisting of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam).
This table is updated daily to reflect the latest studio reports.
Note: This chart is not adjusted for inflation.
Image attributions
James Cameron: Angela George [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
