Alfonso Cuarón Highest-Paid Director in the World

It's been a rough year for the director, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 64-year-old Alfonso Cuarón has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid directors for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 20/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Alfonso Cuarón tops annual list of highest-paid directors

In 2023 it looked like the director’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Thursday (March 19) that Cuarón is the highest-paid director in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $50 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Mexican director-screenwriter-producer has an estimated net worth of $245 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Cuarón Burger” chain) in Mexico City, a Football Team (the “Mexico City Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondercuarón - Mexico), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Alfonso) and a fashion line called “Alfonso Cuarón Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Alfonso fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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