The Lucases – $5.5B
Often called the wealthiest celebrity figure in all of history, George Lucas earned a fair fortune after the unexpected success of the film that followed American Graffiti: Star Wars. However, what made it so big was the brilliant special effects in the film, which granted him ownership of the technology forever. The success of the sci-fi film, together with a contract that granted him complete franchise rights from 20th Century Fox, allowed him to begin various successful film companies. THX was one of these, which changed sound technology forever. There was also LucasFilm, which made many of his hit films. But let us not forget about LucasArts, which created video games; Industrial Light & Magic, which released a book modern special effects from the ‘70s onward; and Skywalker Sound, which turned things up when it came to mixing and recording audio.
The Lucases – $5.5B
The Jordans – $1.9B
We all know that it does not get any bigger than Michael Jordan. MJ, Number 23, became a household name when he made a killing on the basketball court with the Chicago Bulls. His sports success also transitioned into all sorts of unrelated ventures. We all know about his brief acting stint, but the most lucrative business decisions he made were his Air Jordan sports shoes line, and his endorsements for brands like Hanes and Nike. The Jordan family now has a whopping $2 billion to their name, mostly thanks to Jordan’s decision to invest in stakes for the Charlotte Hornets. Although the team has yet to achieve the same success he did in court, the ownership is still worth it for the NBA legend.
The Jordans – $1.9B
