What Is Rob Zombie's Net Worth and Salary?
Rob Zombie is a musician, film director, screenwriter, and film producer who has a net worth of $50 million. Widely known for his unique fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, Rob Zombie first gained prominence as the founding member and lead vocalist of the band White Zombie in the mid-1980s. The band's multi-platinum albums, such as "La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One" and "Astro-Creep: 2000," were marked by Zombie's gritty vocals and horror-themed lyrics, making them iconic in the metal scene.
Following the disbandment of White Zombie in 1998, Rob embarked on a successful solo career, with hits like "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl." His music is characterized by its use of horror film and pop culture references, a signature style that has garnered him a devoted fan base.
In the 2000s, Zombie branched out into filmmaking, directing horror films that mirror the macabre aesthetic of his music. His directorial debut, "House of 1000 Corpses," and its sequel, "The Devil's Rejects," have since become cult classics. His love for horror also led him to remake the iconic horror film "Halloween" in 2007, further cementing his place in the genre.
Early Life
Rob Zombie was born Robert Bartleh Cummings on January 12, 1965, in Haverhill, Massachusetts. His younger brother, Michael David Cummings, also a musician, would later be known as Spider One, the lead singer of the rock group Powerman 5000. Growing up, Rob was obsessed with horror movies and performance art musicians like Alice Cooper, influences that would play a clear role in his creative development as an adult. After graduating from high school, he took classes at Parsons School of Design. While playing music in his free time, he also worked as a production assistant on the TV show "Pee-wee's Playhouse." While at Parsons, he met future White Zombie co-founder Sean Yseult. They dated for a period but continued working together in the band even after breaking up.
Music Career
After three EPs that failed to get much traction from audiences or critics, White Zombie released their debut studio album, "Soul-Crusher," in 1987 through their own independent record label. It was after their fourth EP that they finally caught the attention of executives at Geffen Records, and under Geffen, the band released their third studio album, 1992's "La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One," which would become their first big success. This album became a breakout hit thanks to the single "Thunder Kiss '65." Their fourth and final studio album, "Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head," was a massive commercial hit, reaching #6 on the "Billboard" 200 thanks to several popular singles, notable "More Human than Human." The album sold two million copies in the US alone. In 1996, the band released a remix album that would become the final official project from White Zombie before they broke up, but Zombie himself continued to work in music during this period, collaborating with musical idol Alice Cooper on a song for an official "X-Files" compilation album. Zombie has repeatedly ruled out any sort of band reunion, alluding to personal problems between himself and other members of the band.
He legally changed his name to Rob Zombie in 1996. He launched a solo career in 1997, releasing his first solo album, "Hellbilly Deluxe," in 1998. This album was certified triple Platinum and reached #5 on the US "Billboard" 200 Chart. Rob has since released several more studio albums, compilation albums, and live albums, continuing to keep a hand in the music scene even as his film directing career flourished.
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Directorial Work
Rob directed and wrote the 2003 film "House of 1000 Corpses," which went on to earn $17 million worldwide and eventually established what would become a signature franchise. In 2005, he directed "The Devil's Rejects," a sequel to the earlier film, which got comparative raves from critics and fans. In 2007, he directed "Halloween," followed by the 2009 sequel "Halloween II." Also in 2007, Zombie was one of several filmmakers invited to take part in Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's genre anthology film "Grindhouse," directing the short faux-trailer for an imaginary film entitled "Werewolf Women of the SS." In 2012, Zombie earned some of the best reviews of his entire career with the release of "Lords of Salem." Four years later, he released his next movie, another horror film entitled "31." Despite his near-exclusive interest in the horror genre in both his film and music work, Rob has attempted to break out of the genre at least once – in the summer of 2015, it was announced that he would direct "Raised Eyebrows," a biopic about famous comedian Groucho Marx (whose character names are a recurring motif in some of Zombie's films), but a release date was never announced and the project appears to have stalled. In 2019, he directed the third installment in what has come to be known as the "Firefly" trilogy that started with "House of 1000 Corpses": "3 from Hell."
Outside of feature films, Zombie directed one episode of "CSI: Miami" and the standup comedy special "Tom Papa: Live in New York City."
Other Projects
Zombie has, for whatever reason, made voice cameos in films directed by James Gunn going back to "Slither" in 2006. His uncredited voice can also be heard in "Super" and the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies. He also performed as a voice actor on 2003's "Spider-Man: The New Animated Series" and "Justice League" and 2016's "Mr. Pickles." Zombie has written several short-lived comic book series as well.
Rob Zombie Quote About Money
"I don't do anything for the money. I don't need to. I could have retired after White Zombie and been just fine. Money doesn't matter. But there is still a good living to be made, even in the niche. The funny thing is, as time goes on, the niche stuff gets bigger and bigger." – Rob Zombie
Personal Life
Rob has been married to Sheri Moon Zombie since Halloween 2002. They are both vegans and supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Real Estate
In 1999, Rob bought a home in Los Angeles for $1.8 million. He sold this property in 2014 for $3.555 million. In 2016, he bought a home in the Hollywood Hills for $2.5 million. Rob and Sheri also own a 5,000-square-foot house in Woodbury, Connecticut.
