What director's first movie has made the most bank at the box office? Anyone have any good guesses?

The hack who directed Charlie's Angels (2000), probably.

Well, if you're talking strictly features, probably John Lasseter for Toy Story ($192 million domestic). He did work on some short films prior to that, though. Not counting animated features, probably Kevin Costner for Dances With Wolves ($184 million domestic).

L8r

Shucks, I wanted it to be Michael Bay, we haven't talked about him in awhile.

Yeah, I was also thinking Bad Boys

Bad Boys only grossed $66 million. Sorry, there's been stronger debuts than that.

L8r

What was the name of that guy who directed JAWS?

What was the name of that guy who directed THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS first?

I guess after Costner, it would be Peter Faiman for Crocodile Dundee ($175 million) and Rob Marshall for Chicago ($171 million).

L8r

Roger Allers/Rob Minkoff: The Lion King ($328 million)

Fine... but what was his name??

Steven Spielberg.

Are we counting animated features? Somehow, I don't think it's appropriate, since they are practically made by committee anyway. The producer would have more to do with how it turns out than the director, IMO.

L8r

Blair Witch is up there, right?

It's up there, but it's still outdone by every other debut I've mentioned thus far, plus John Pasquin for The Santa Clause ($145 million). A lot of these guys transitioned from television.

L8r

Shrek earned over 265 million and I think had first time directors @ the helm

Again, I don't really think animated features should count. Call me crazy.

L8r

How about Brett Ratner? Wasn't his first movie "Rush Hour" - that made a bundle, did it not?

Brett Ratner's first movie was Money Talks.

RogueScribner is correct.

If you eliminate animated films from the competition, the answer is Kevin Costner's DANCES WITH WOLVES

With $184 million domestic box office and $424 million world-wide, Dances With Wolves is the highest grossing, non-animated film made by a first-time director.

M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense"...what do i win?

Nope, he made two movies before 6th sense.

Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider? That has to be huge in adjusted dollars.

I was wrong. Easy Rider made $60m by 1972. According to this site that comes out to $277m in 2005 dollars. Big, but Dennis Hopper can't beat Costner.

Brad Bird wants you to lean closer so he can bitch-slap you.

Brad Bird also wrote what he directed. The same cannot be said for the directors of Shrek and The Lion King, The only other big comparison I can think of is for John Lasseter with Toy Story, since he has a story credit, and Andrew Stanton for Finding Nemo. But one only has to look at the writing credits for Toy Story to see the half dozen people credited with developing the story and writing the screenplay. Animated films, by their very nature, are made by committee. Why do you think so many animated films have multiple directors listed? It's because they farm out the work to make sure the movie gets done on time. Disney had an incredible run with animation in the late '80s and early '90s. Who do you think was more responsible: Jeffrey Katzenberg/Howard Ashman or the directors of those films?

Brad Bird is the exception to the rule, not the rule. And since his first film didn't do too hot at the box office, he isn't apropos for this discussion.

L8r