What Is J.J. Abrams' Net Worth and Salary?
J.J. Abrams is an American film and television producer, screenwriter, director, actor, and composer who has a net worth of $300 million. J.J. Abrams began his career in the film industry as a screenwriter in the 1990s, penning scripts for movies like "Regarding Henry" and "Armageddon."
Abrams gained widespread recognition as the creator of popular TV series, including "Felicity," "Alias," and the hit show "Lost." His success in television led to opportunities in film directing, starting with "Mission: Impossible III" in 2006. He went on to direct and produce major blockbusters, including the 2009 "Star Trek" reboot and its sequel, "Star Trek Into Darkness." Abrams also helmed "Super 8" and two films in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy: "The Force Awakens" and "The Rise of Skywalker."
As a producer, Abrams has been involved in numerous successful projects, including the "Cloverfield" franchise, "Westworld," and "Lovecraft Country." His production company, Bad Robot, has become a significant player in both film and television.
WarnerMedia Deal
In June 2019, rumors swirled that J.J. and his production house, Bad Robot, were on the verge of securing a $500 million development deal with amajor network/streaming platform. In September 2019, it was confirmed that J.J. had actually signed a five-year, $250 million deal with WarnerMedia Film. Interestingly, unlike deals signed by other large producers/creators, J.J. and Katie's deal did NOT involve selling their backend rights to previous work. For example, when Ryan Murphy signed a five-year, $300 million deal with Netflix, he had to agree to give up the rights to his full backend (streaming, theatrical) for all his previous projects. Same for when Greg Berlanti signed a $400 million deal with WarnerMedia.
J.J.'s WarnerMedia deal was worth $250 million at a minimum and could have ended up paying out over a BILLION dollars if he successfully created a feature film franchise for the network. He also reportedly turned down a $500 million offer from Apple because Apple does not have a theatrical distribution strategy or IP for him to adapt into movies, and it would have required him to make content exclusively for Apple. Unfortunately, Abrams and Bad Robot did not end up achieving any of the milestones that would have secured funds above the $250 million base amount. The deal is generally considered one of the worst from the peak-TV streaming era and ultimately led to layoffs at Bad Robot.
Early Life
J.J. Abrams was born Jeffrey Jacob Abrams on June 27, 1966, in New York City. He is the son of TV producer Gerald W. Abrams and executive producer Carol Ann Abrams. His sister, Tracy Rosen, is also a screenwriter. Abrams attended Palisades High School and enrolled at Sarah Lawrence College.
Early Career
Abrams transformed himself from an inventive screenwriter and TV producer into a feature film director and producer who created some of the largest blockbusting movies in recent years. Abrams' first job was at age 16 when he wrote the music for Don Dohler's 1982 horror movie "Nightbeast." In his senior year in college, he wrote a feature film that was purchased by Touchstone Pictures, "Taking Care of Business." Starring Charles Grodin and James Belushi, the film was Abrams' first screenplay and first produced film. He followed it up with "Regarding Henry," starring Harrison Ford, and "Forever Young," starring Mel Gibson. Abrams then worked on the screenplay for the 1998 blockbuster film "Armageddon" with Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay.
Mainstream Success
Abrams left his first mark in the cultural zeitgeist with the hit drama, "Felicity" (The WB, 1998-2002). He served as the series' co-creator and executive producer, and he also composed its opening theme music.
J.J. founded a co-production company called Bad Robot with Bryan Burk in 2001. With this company, Abrams continued to make a name for himself in the world of television with the creation of the spy drama "Alias" (ABC, 2001-2006) and the mystery sci-fi thriller "Lost" (ABC, 2004-2010). Also in 2001, Abrams produced and co-wrote the horror-thriller "Joy Ride." In 2006, he served as executive producer of ABC's "What About Brian" and "Six Degrees." That same year, J.J. made his feature film directorial debut with the massive blockbuster "Mission: Impossible III," starring Tom Cruise. In 2008, Abrams produced "Cloverfield," directed by Matt Reeves. Later that year, Abrams co-created, co-wrote, and executive produced the FOX science fiction series "Fringe." He also composed the theme music for the series. The show enjoyed commercial success and ran for five seasons. In 2009, J.J. directed and produced "Star Trek."
As if he weren't already a household name, Abrams gained further celebrity when he wrote and directed the wildly popular and successful science-fiction thriller "Super 8," co-produced by Steven Speilberg. It was released in June 2011. J.J. went on to direct the sequel to "Star Trek," "Star Trek Into Darkness," released in May 2013. It was announced in 2013 by Walt Disney Studios and Lucasfilm that Abrams would be the director and producer of the seventh entry in the "Star Wars" film saga, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Abrams directed, produced, and co-wrote "The Force Awakens," which opened to over $2 billion at the box office on December 18, 2015. This made Abrams the first director of a $2 billion film since James Cameron. J.J. returned as a producer of "Star Trek Beyond" in 2016. He produced the fourth, fifth, and sixth installations of the "Mission: Impossible" films. Abrams returned to direct and co-write "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," replacing Colin Trevorrow. The film, which was released to mixed reviews from audiences and critics, was released in December 2019. As of April 2020, Abrams is slated to develop three new shows for HBO Max: "Justice League Dark," "Overlook," and "Duster."
J.J. Abrams has earned several accolades and nominations, including Emmy Awards, Writers Guild of America Awards, BAFTA Awards, Directors Guild of America, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, and PGA Award, to name just a few.
(Photo by Keith Tsuji/Getty Images)
Personal Life and Real Estate
J.J. and his wife, Katie McGrath, have been married since 1996. In addition to having three children, August, Henry, and Gracie, they are co-founders of their production company, "Bad Robot." In February 2014, they spent nearly $15 million on a home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. In April 2017, the couple spent $6.75 million on another house in the same neighborhood.
