Apr 06, 2025 10:11 AM IST
Asia’s richest filmmaker has a net worth of $3.5 billion, and he has produced a film that even beat Marvel and Disney at the box office.
The new Forbes Billionaire List 2025 has unveiled the 3000-odd dollar billionaires of the world, including several from the world of media and entertainment. While the list in showbiz is dominated by Hollywood icons and global pop stars, a few Asian names have also been listed, including a maverick filmmaker who began as a journalist and is now Asia’s richest. (Also read: How an $80-million ‘non-Hollywood film’ beat Disney, Pixar to become highest-grossing animated film, minted $1.9 billion)
Aisa’s richest filmmaker
Chinese film producer and media magnate Wang Changtian is the richest filmmaker in all of Asia, according to the Forbes list. The 59-year-old ‘self-made’ billionaire has a net worth of $3.5 billion, higher than any film personality in Asia, including heavyweights like Jackie Chan, Shah Rukh Khan, and even Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar. Wang built this wealth on the back of his media company, Beijing Enlight Media, China’s leading film production company.
Wang Changtian began as a journalist before becoming a radio and TV producer. After gathering enough experience, he founded the Beijing Enlight Media in 2005, which has gone on to establish him as one of the most powerful filmmakers in the world. His $3.5 billion net worth is more than the combined wealth of Aditya Chopra ($900 million), Shah Rukh Khan ($770 million), and Tom Cruise ($800 million).
How Wang Changtian beat Avengers at the box office
Wang’s recent film, Ne Zha 2, is a sensation at the global box office. The film has become the highest-grossing animated film ever, and also broken several other collection records during its $2.17 billion box office run. Ne Zha 2 is now the fifth-highest grossing film ever, ahead of blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War ($2.04 billion) and Star Wars Episode VII ($2.02 billion), and behind only the two Avatar films, Avengers: Endgame, and Titanic.
