Entertainment

What Is Chris Miller’s Net Worth? The Man Behind ‘Project Hail Mary’

Published

3 days ago

April 16, 2026

What Is Chris Miller's Net Worth? The Man Behind 'Project Hail Mary'

Chris Miller, also known as Christopher Robert Miller, is one-half of the legendary filmmaking duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The two have become synonymous with creative risk-taking and box office gold.

After being fired from Solo: A Star Wars Story, the pair made a triumphant return to the director’s chair with Project Hail Mary, a $200 million sci-fi epic starring Ryan Gosling. The film, released in March 2026, became an instant blockbuster, proving that original stories still have a place in Hollywood.

But who is Chris Miller, and how did he amass his fortune? Together with his creative partner, Phil Lord, they have produced and directed some of the most beloved and financially successful films of the 21st century.

This article explores Chris Miller’s net worth, his role in making Project Hail Mary, his remarkable career, and the lucrative deals that have shaped his wealth.

What is Chris Miller’s net worth?

Christopher Miller has an estimated net worth of $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Several factors contribute to Miller’s substantial wealth. He has backend participation in box office successes that have grossed billions of dollars worldwide.

Chris Miller (Left) and Phil Lord (Right) after winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Photo: Getty)

As a director, writer, and producer, he earns substantial bonuses, residuals, and profit-sharing from his films. Additionally, Miller and Lord have signed lucrative overall deals with major studios, including a reported nine-figure agreement with Sony Pictures Television.

His creative partner, Phil Lord, also has an identical net worth of $50 million. This parity reflects their equal partnership on virtually all projects, from writing and directing to producing and voice acting.

Who made Project Hail Mary? Chris Miller’s role as director

Chris Miller, alongside Phil Lord, produced and directed Project Hail Mary, which was released on March 20, 2026. The film is an adaptation of Andy Weir’s bestselling novel, the same author behind The Martian.

It stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a schoolteacher who wakes up on a spaceship with amnesia and must save humanity from an extinction-level event. Gosling also serves as the co-producer of the film.

Other cast members include Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, Lionel Boyce as Carl, James Ortiz as Rocky, Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne, Ken Leung as Yao Li-Jie, Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilyukhina, and Priya Kansara as the voice of Mary.

Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in ‘Project Hail Mary’ (Photo: X)

The film was a massive undertaking, with a reported budget of $200 million. It was the largest production Lord and Miller had ever attempted. During filming, Gosling expressed a need for a scene partner, leading to one of the film’s most charming anecdotes.

Miller recalled, “We were like: OK, let’s make a friend. So we scoured the set and found a mop and got a dress from the costume department. And we made a little mop friend for him to dance around with. We called it ‘Moppy Ringwald.'”

Project Hail Mary was a critical and commercial triumph. It opened with $80.6 million domestically, the best showing of 2026 so far, and set a new record for Amazon MGM Studios. Globally, it launched with $141 million.

The film was praised for its heart, humor, and originality, becoming only the second non-sequel or non-franchise film in a decade to open above $80 million, following Oppenheimer.

As of April 16, 2026, the 2026 American science fiction film has grossed $260.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $255.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $515.9 million.

Chris Miller’s career highlights and box office hits

Chris Miller’s career is defined by a series of unexpected successes. Alongside Phil Lord, he has directed, written, or produced some of the most beloved comedies and animated films of the 21st century. Key highlights include:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009): Their feature directorial debut earned $243 million worldwide and launched their film careers.
21 Jump Street (2012): A reboot of the 1980s TV series that grossed over $200 million, reinvigorating the buddy-cop genre.
The Lego Movie (2014): An animated phenomenon that grossed over $470 million on a $65 million budget, spawning sequels, video games, merchandise, and even theme park attractions.
22 Jump Street (2014): A meta-sequel that outperformed its predecessor, grossing over $330 million.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018): As producers, they won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film earned $375 million worldwide.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023): The sequel grossed over $690 million globally.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021): An Oscar-nominated animated film produced by Lord and Miller.

Their total global box office haul as producers and directors exceeds $3.3 billion.

Chris Miller’s production company and Hollywood deals

Lord and Miller have signed several major deals with different major companies throughout their careers. In April 2019, they signed a massive five-year, nine-figure overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, reportedly worth at least $100-200 million.

Chris Miller alongside his creative partner, Phil Lord, at the Oscars (Photo: X)

Under the deal, they developed live-action and animated series for network, cable, and streaming platforms. The deal also included developing a suite of television series based on Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters, including Spider-Man and his related foes.

In August 2019, they set their Lord Miller film banner at Universal Pictures in a first-look film production deal. This deal allowed them to develop and produce films for the studio.

In 2021, Sony sold their animated film The Mitchells vs. the Machines to Netflix for more than $100 million. The film, produced by Lord and Miller, was originally intended for theatrical release but was acquired by the streamer during the pandemic.

Chris Miller’s early life and partnership with Phil Lord

Christopher Robert Miller was born on September 23, 1975, in Everett, Washington. He initially sought a career in acting and landed several decent-sized television roles, including a recurring part as Cliff on Caroline in the City from 1998 to 1999.

He attended Dartmouth College, where he met his future collaborator, Phil Lord. Both shared a passion for comedy and animation, contributing to the school newspaper and creating short films.

After graduation, they moved to Los Angeles and worked at Walt Disney Television Animation. Their first major project was the cult animated series Clone High. While short-lived, it developed a dedicated following and showcased Miller and Lord’s distinctive, meta-humorous style.

Miller and Lord have described their partnership as a true collaboration, with both contributing to writing, directing, and producing. They are known for their ability to take seemingly “bad” ideas and turn them into critical and commercial successes.

Fun facts about Chris Miller

His wife and children

Miller is married to Robyn Murgio. The couple has two children.

His other creative ventures

Beyond filmmaking, Miller has ventured into producing television shows, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Afterparty. He is also a voice actor, having voiced characters in The Lego Movie and its sequel.

Conclusion

Chris Miller is a visionary filmmaker with an estimated net worth of $50 million. He is best known for directing Project Hail Mary alongside Phil Lord, as well as for his work on The Lego Movie and the Spider-Verse series.