From Page To Pay Day: The Most Successful Screenwriters In Hollywood!

When most people decide what movie to watch, they often check to see if their favorite actor is in it, or perhaps they like the work of a specific director. Screenwriters, however, are often left out of the conversation. Why, we don’t know, because if you take a look at these screenwriters and their box office records, you’ll see that they are power horses that can most definitely draw audiences to the cinema!

1. James Cameron

Most people are familiar with writer-director James Cameron, not surprising given his movies have grossed about $9.4 billion! Cameron’s first big hit The Terminator (1984) made an astonishing $78.3 million in box office, laying the perfect path to success. And it only went up from there! The filmmaker broke box office records with Avatar (2009) – the highest-grossing film of all time! And, of course, we cannot forget the heartbreaking drama Titanic (1997) that still has me convinced that Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) could have fit on that door. But it’s exactly those engaging controversies, mixed with tragedy, action, and romance, that make James Cameron the star of this list and an unforgettable household name. And with his third Avatar movie, Fire and Ash, coming this December, his numbers are only expected to grow!

2. Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely

We’re continuing strong with the pair behind most of your favorite Marvel Superhero movies. If you’re team Captain America, these are your men, because they have written three of his films, including the original Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). In addition to that, they gave us the epic movie Thor: The Dark World (2013), which had everything from action to romance. Best of all, however, are Markus and McFeely’s iconic – and I mean ICONIC – two movies that are the crème-de la-crème of the Marvel Universe. Of course, I am talking about Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). While we still haven’t fully forgiven them for killing off some of my favorite characters, we will never forget the sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat impact these movies had. With the track record that Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have, it’s no surprise they are on our number two spot with a whopping $9.3 billion in box office success.

3. Steve Kloves

Aren’t we all still hoping (at least a bit) for a letter from Hogwarts? While we may not have gotten a visit from Hagrid personally, we got the next best thing – a movie adaptation of the books. Adapting Harry Potter into a screenplay is certainly not an easy task. It’s one of the most popular franchises, and with the magic of the books, those are high stakes. But it is safe to say that Steve Kloves lived up to the challenge, backed by a staggering $7.5 billion in box office success. Yes, Steve Kloves brought the magic into our living rooms and made us feel like we were students at Hogwarts by writing all the Harry Potter movies (except Order of the Phoenix). Thank you, Steve Kloves!

4. Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson  

Staying on the franchise train, how could we not talk about the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Apart from being romantic partners, Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson are also business partners who co-wrote the Lord of the Rings movies. Together they have achieved about $6.5 billion in box office success, making them some of the most successful screenwriters of all time. Like with any fantasy novel, it takes a great amount of talent and hard work to capture the magic of the story in a script, but Walsh and Jackson have DEFENITELY achieved that. They took an already legendary book franchise and turned it into an iconic movie saga that has united Lord of the Rings fans from all over the world. Wow!

5. Chris Morgan

As you might have noticed, there’s a theme here: franchises, and this one is no different. Chris Morgan is the writer for numerous films of the Fast & Furious blockbuster run, including the fan-favorite Furious 7 (2015). In total, his films have grossed about $6.5 billion, making him the 5th highest-grossing screenwriter of all time. Morgan’s secret to success? High stakes, family-first one-liners, and cars that defy physics. Yes, Morgan’s dialogue is gripping and exciting, while bringing us to tears every once in a while. This incredible mix of emotions has earned him his well-deserved spot on our list!

6. David Koepp

“Welcome … to Jurassic Park” has to be one of the most iconic lines in film history. Credit for it belongs to David Koepp, the screenwriter behind Jurassic Park (1993) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). But that’s only a little glimpse into the art and talent of David Koepp. With his movies Mission: Impossible (1996) and Spider-Man (2002), the screenwriter has proven over and over again that he has what it takes to draw audiences to the cinema. No wonder then that his films have grossed a total of $6.1 billion at the box office! And best of all? He has written the script of the new Jurassic World Rebirth (2025), which added a cool $856.8 million to his coffers. Not bad!