What is Joe Roth’s net worth and salary?
Joe Roth is an American film executive, producer, and director who has a net worth of $600 million. Joe Roth is known for his leadership roles at 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios, and Revolution Studios. Roth has been at the helm of some of the most successful and ambitious projects in modern cinema. He has overseen blockbuster franchises, greenlit Oscar-winning dramas, and built independent studios that redefined the power dynamics between creatives and corporations. Over the course of his career, Roth has been credited with helping bring to life films such as “Home Alone,” “Pretty Woman,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Men in Black,” “Pearl Harbor,” and “Black Hawk Down.” He is also a prolific producer in his own right, with credits on hits like “Alice in Wonderland” and “Oz the Great and Powerful.” As both an executive and entrepreneur, Roth’s fingerprints are all over late-20th and early-21st-century Hollywood.
In 2014, Roth and his partners sold the company to Fortress Investment Group for a reported amount between $250 million and $500 million.
Early Life and Education
Joe Roth was born in New York City on June 13, 1948. He grew up in a family with strong ties to the film and media world—his father was a news executive with Mutual Broadcasting. Roth earned his degree in journalism and communications from Boston University in 1970. After college, he briefly worked as a cameraman and editor for NBC News before shifting his focus to filmmaking. His early work included directing and producing television commercials, which gave him his first taste of visual storytelling and production management.
Hollywood Climb and Executive Leadership
In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles. Two years later, in 1976, he produced his first film, “Tunnel Vision”, which starred Chevy Chase. The movie was successful enough to allow him to produce more films. Roth’s studio career took off in the 1980s when he co-founded the independent production company Morgan Creek Productions. But it was his move to become Chairman of 20th Century Fox in 1989 that marked his entry into the upper echelons of Hollywood leadership. At Fox, Roth oversaw a string of commercial hits, including “Die Hard 2,” “Home Alone,” and “Edward Scissorhands.”
In 1992, he left Fox to co-found Caravan Pictures with Roger Birnbaum under the Disney umbrella. Just two years later, Roth replaced Jeffrey Katzenberg as Chairman of Walt Disney Studios. From 1994 to 2000, Roth led Disney’s film division during a period of major transition and success. He reported directly to Disney CEO Michael Eisner and oversaw both the live-action and animation divisions.
During Roth’s tenure, Disney released hits like “The Rock,” “Armageddon,” “The Parent Trap,” “Mulan,” and “Remember the Titans.” He also helped guide strategic partnerships, including Disney’s ongoing collaboration with Pixar. His instincts for balancing family-friendly content with box office tentpoles made him one of the most powerful figures in the industry.
Revolution Studios
In 2000, Roth stepped down from Disney to launch his own independent production company, Revolution Studios. Backed by a landmark distribution deal with Sony Pictures, the venture aimed to give filmmakers more creative freedom while maintaining studio-level financing and marketing capabilities. Roth’s goal was to create a director-friendly environment that could still deliver commercial hits.
Revolution’s film slate included “Black Hawk Down,” “XXX,” “Anger Management,” “Mona Lisa Smile,” and “Are We There Yet?” While the studio had a fast and splashy start, its performance waned toward the end of the decade, and Revolution eventually scaled down operations in 2007. Still, the studio left a mark as a bold experiment in hybridized studio independence. Roth’s role as founder and CEO further cemented his reputation as both a creative and business innovator.
(Photo by E. Charbonneau/WireImage for Sony Pictures-Los Angeles)
Producing Career
Even after his executive roles ended, Roth continued to produce high-profile films through his production company Roth Films. He found renewed success as a producer with Disney’s live-action “Alice in Wonderland,” directed by Tim Burton, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide. He also produced “Oz the Great and Powerful,” “Maleficent,” and “Snow White and the Huntsman,” helping Disney capitalize on the growing demand for darker, stylized reimaginings of classic stories.
Roth has also been a producer on sports dramas, romantic comedies, and family films, displaying a wide range of genre versatility. In addition to feature films, he’s worked in television and digital content, keeping pace with the evolving entertainment landscape.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Seattle Sounders
Joe Roth played a pivotal role in bringing Major League Soccer to Seattle by co-founding Seattle Sounders FC in 2007. As the club’s first majority owner, he infused it with ambition and a commitment to excellence, leading to multiple U.S. Open Cup victories and the acquisition of star players like Clint Dempsey. Roth stepped down as majority owner in 2015 and fully exited the ownership group in 2019, selling his stake to a diverse group of local investors, including Russell Wilson, Ciara, Macklemore, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. His tenure laid the foundation for the Sounders’ enduring success and deep community ties.
Personal Life and Legacy
Joe Roth has been married to Irene Roth for decades, and together they have three children. Beyond the studio system, he is known for mentoring numerous Hollywood executives and creatives, including Rob Moore, whom he brought over from Disney to help launch Revolution Studios.
Roth’s reputation in the industry has been shaped by both his eye for commercially viable projects and his willingness to take creative risks. He is one of the few executives to successfully transition from studio leadership to independent producing without losing relevance or influence.
Real Estate
In 2011, he acquired a 13,600-square-foot Holmby Hills estate designed by renowned architect Paul R. Williams for $21.5 million. A decade later, he listed this property for $48 million. Around the same time, Roth purchased a 5,514-square-foot Midcentury Modern home in Beverly Hills Flats for $23 million. Designed by Daniel Dworsky and renovated by Waldo Fernandez, this residence set a record price per square foot in the area.
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