29+ Wealthiest Fictional Characters According to Critics, Ranked
| LAST UPDATE 08/16/2022
We felt like we knew these characters pretty well, but what we didn't know was how much money was sitting in their bank accounts. According to Forbes and other critics, these are the richest fictional characters.
37. Cruella de Vil - $875 Million
We all love to hate her, but we all just want to be her. Cruella de Vil is the ultimate villain, but with a glamourous twist! Entering the world of the rich and famous early on, she was never anything less than glam.
Even in cartoon form, the villain's iconic fur coat instantly became the character's defying factor. Oh, and her black and white hair - can't forget that! The 101 Dalmatians star did steal all those Dalmatian puppies while driving around in her black and red car, but she looked fabulous doing so!
36. Lucille Bluth - $950 Million
Played by the iconic Jessica Walter, Lucille Bluth was famously known for always having a drink in her hand and something to say! The Arrested Development star received millions from her imprisoned husband, George Bluth, and well, she spent it wisely (sort of).
With all those millions in the bank, the hilarious Mrs. Bluth spent her time running an empire while enjoying the finer things in life. Lucille's go-to drink of choice was the Cloudmir imported vodka from Newport Beach, which naturally became one of her defining factors!
35. Jay Gatsby - $1 Billion
One of the most infamous names of all time is none other than Mr. Gatsby himself! Although he gained his fortune from bootlegging alcohol and scheming stocks, the character had to become great somehow. The party-enthusiast was determined to live the life of the rich and the famous, regardless of how he got there.
The Great Gatsby character grew up in a small farming community deep in North Dakota. And at 17, he went out on his own in search of a better life. Although he always had the purest intentions, once he met the "multi-millionaire yachtsman" Dan Cody and moved to the West Egg, he went from farm boy to the charmer we know and love.
34. Chuck Bass - $1.1 Billion
Gossip Girl's resident bad boy, Chuck Bass, is heir to the real estate guru, Bart Bass, which is how he landed his $1.1 billion! The young billionaire was notoriously known for blowing his cash on finely tailored clothing, women, and high-priced investments, such as The Empire hotel.
Boasting the 'Bass' family name, he was destined for a spot on our list. Growing up as Bart's son, who had "more towers than Trump, and more bucks than Bloomberg," Chuck was destined to live a life of luxury. Not only did he own The Empire, but he owned 51% of his father's real estate company and became CEO of Bass Industries.
33. Lady Mary Crawley - $1.1 Billion
Coming from a family who was mesmerized by wealth, Lady Mary Crawley screamed affluence. The lovely Lady was loyal to her family's tradition and legacy, so when it came down to their billion-dollar assets, they knew all the right ways to keep them protected.
The always well-dressed and very elegantly put-together Lady Mary was left with her late husband's hefty Downton Estate and large fortune connected to the Grantham Estate - and she knew just how to handle it. "Don't put it all in one stock, ask for a raise… and beware of the gold-diggers," the Downton Abbey star famously said.
32. Mr. Monopoly - $1.2 Billion
Rich Uncle Pennybags, aka Mr. Monopoly, was a childhood icon! Uncle Pennybags knew exactly what he was doing with his Atlantic City high-priced real estate investments. The elderly man in the top hat had a knack for assessing the market at the right time.
Mr. Monopoly became a "symbol of extreme wealth, capitalism, and greed" after spending so much money around the world on big-ticket items, "watching his fortune come in at the expense of others." He always has a pocket full of colorful cash ready to go and loves to spend it!
31. Lara Croft - $1.3 Billion
This British archaeologist has no fears when it comes to adventure: the one, and only Lara Croft. She was raised by a prestigious family in London, where she learned a few helpful tips for jump-starting her career where she explored ancient ruins for rare treasures.
However, she was disowned by her family after deciding to become a "skilled thief" and mercenary. Croft "pays major dividends," which landed her a major return of wealth and allowed her to travel the world in return. No wonder she's one of two women who made it to this list.
30. Walden Schmidt - $1.3 Billion
This Malibu millionaire, Walden Schmidt, managed to walk away from a wild divorce as a billionaire. However, he did also design an extremely successful website when he was a teenager that eventually sold to Microsoft, so that probably contributed to his high earning status!
According to Alan Harper, who Schmidt lived with in the Malibu beach house, he had "more money than god if god only had 900 million." However, the Two and a Half Men star didn't know what to do with all his money and often blew it on unnecessary items. Yikes.
29. Charles Montgomery Burns - $1.3 Billion
Charles Montgomery Burns became the owner of the famous Springfield Nuclear Power Plant after engaging in a technology exchange with the leader of North Korea. Sitting in the power seat now, his "evil, devious, and greedy" attitude led him to steal Christmas, run over Bart Simpson and even kidnap little puppies!
Before he was booted out of the billionaire camp, Mr. Burns did lose a lot of money which lowered his fortune down to $996 million. Still feels like a nice chunk of change to us! The Simpsons villain enjoyed flaunting his wealth and frequently tormented the citizens of Springfield.
28. Tywin Lannister - $1.8 Billion
It's no surprise the head of House Lannister, Lord Tywin Lannister, was picked up by Forbes for his high payday. Being the most powerful person in the North of Dorne, his wealth, which originated from family-controlled gold mines, gave him even more cash flow than the King himself.
The Game of Thrones patriarch had a large sum of wealth to be spent on his massive army of men put together to defeat The Riverlords, in addition to funding the entire nation. Having control over the largest gold mine in all seven kingdoms, Tywin Lannister spent lots of cash on wine, food, castles, and "of course paying his debts."
27. Artemis Fowl - $1.9 Billion
Once considered "the smartest person of his generation," Artemis Fowl is the ultimate "criminal mastermind." However, he's 12. The thief turned evil genius gained his $1.9 billion fortune after discovering a "world below ground of armed and dangerous."
The young Artemis Fowl gained his fortune after trying to rebuild his family's fortune and possessed the ultimate evil genius traits. The 12-year-old even kidnapped fairy Holly Short, "holding her for ransom" after uncovering the 'Hostage Fund of Fairy God.'
26. Gomez Addams - $2 Billion
Although he invested large amounts of money in Wall Street, the Addams family patriarchal figure spent money on salt mines, tombstone factories, uranium mines, and Buzzard (animal farm) in order to hit his grand fortune. So why all the bizarre investments? Well, that was just the Addams family way.
Their mansion was one of the many luxuries Gomez Addams spent his cash on, implying that money was never a problem for them. The family was also slapped with a billion-dollar sale for an "intergalactic getaway," to which the whole family "appeared unbothered" by!
25. Sir Topham Hatt - $2 Billion
Considering this character is in full control of the North Western Railway, it's no wonder he's scored a spot on the list! On the Island of Sodor, a large sum of industries rely on the railway system for most of their imports and exports, and Sir Topham Hatt is the man in charge!
There isn't all too much to do on the island, which could be a major reason as to why the railroad system is such a massive asset and moneymaker. Sir. Hatt is hilarious, kind, and helpful towards all the pupils that come in and out and is relatively humble regarding his fortune.
24. Thurston Howell III - $2.1 Billion
Thurston Howell III racked up his large fortune using his brilliant business mind. The savvy businessman created Howell Industries and became a proud billionaire! In addition to inheriting mad sums of wealth from his father, Mr. Howell had 12 corporations and 5,000 employees under his belt.
Before he landed on Gilligan's Island, Mr. Howell III had maids, a butler, a chef, a gardener, and a chauffer to drive him around. He refused to do any hard work, as he watched the gang get down and dirty while listening to the stock market news - but he was rather generous with his money as he promised the Gilligans his fortune.
23. Christian Grey - $2.5 Billion
Fifty Shades of Grey's business owner had nothing short of a brilliant mind, which led him to his billions. The 27-year-old CEO of Grey Enterprises, Christian Grey, earned a casual $100,000 per hour with 40,000 employees, making him under 30 top 5 American CEOs.
Mr. Grey was a top leader in communication technologies, making him quite the big shot. He invested his money in everything from beauty salons and publishing companies to sports cars, $1.7 million helicopters, and elaborate apartments. But his biggest investment? Anastasia Steele.
22. The Tooth Fairy - $3.9 Billion
Being in charge of a tradition as old as time is bound to create quite an income! For such a tiny creature, the mythical tooth fairy has sourced a massive business through collecting teeth! The concept dates back to Northern Europe in 1200, where children received money in exchange for loose teeth!
For the tooth fairy to be worth nearly $4 billion, she must be doing something right! For each tooth to cost on average $4.75, with twenty teeth per person lost, that adds up to well, a lot! It's not all too understood how the fairy spends her billions, but there are tons all over the world taking care of children everywhere!
21. Forrest Gump - $5.7 Billion
The lovely Forrest Gump was unaware of exactly how much money he was pocketing and didn't spend his cash so frivolously like some other big earners on this list! Gump owned the only shrimp boat in town, had shares in Apple Inc, and endorsed a brand of Chinese Ping-pong paddles.
The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company owner had "more money than Davy Crockett," and although he didn't have to work, he would still do yard work for his neighbors. The humble billionaire donated large sums of money to the Foursquare Gospel Church and the Battery Fishing Hospital.
20. Richie Rich - $5.8 Billion
From the moment he was born, Richie Rich was set. The young billionaire was born into an absurdly wealthy family, making him the youngest billionaire on this list. Following the death of his parents, Richie Rich inherited the massive Rich fortune, which included Rich science and invention industries, and he was set.
Richie Rich wasn't like most children, especially with the overwhelming 0's in his bank account. Instead of spending his fortune on gadgets, candy, and ice cream, the young Macaulay Culkin actually spent his money on projects that he believed would eventually help the greater good.
19. Adrian Veidt - $7 Billion
The Watchmen character, Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, inherited his billions like superheroes tend to do. However, Veidt wanted to veer from the typical superhero billionaire path and do something a little different. The superhero decided to donate his money to charity to prove not all rich superheroes start off the same! Okay!
Proving he is a true charitable businessman, the superhero went above and beyond to show the world who he really is at his core. He founded a global manufacturing company, Veidt Enterprises, which according to money inc., is worth a nice $7 billion!
18. Carter Pewterschmidt - $ 7.2 Billion
Peter Griffin's wife, Lois Griffin, was born into a family with a whole lotta money! The Family Guy legend Carter Pewterschmidt gained his billions of dollars owning a large steel company which, according to money inc., is worth around $7.2 billion.
Although he is hilarious, Pewterschmidt is known for being more selfish and greedy with his money, unlike a few other top names on this list. The billionaire, unfortunately, does not share his massive income with his daughter and son-in-law and keeps the cash for himself.
17. Willy Wonka - $8 Billion
After closing up shop for a while, the iconic Mr. Willy Wonka was able to re-open his chocolate factory after a few bright business choices and create the one and only chocolate factory. The chocolate factory owner was generous with his billions after giving five children the chance to win a lifetime supply of yummy goods!
So, where did this generosity stem from? Growing up, Mr. Wonka was not allowed to have any delicious sweets, which eventually resulted in him giving children around the world the opportunity to indulge. The Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory star invented the famous 'Wonka Bar' and those delicious everlasting gobstoppers!
16. Jabba the Hutt - $8.4 Billion
One of the galaxy's most powerful mafia members, Jabba the Hutt, made his fortune through a lifetime of hard criminal work. The slug-like alien creature ran the underground galaxy, and people from the Republic to the Empire feared him left and right.
Being the criminal mastermind that he is, Jabba the Hutt is known as "the wealthiest gangster in a hundred worlds," which checks out considering he took over the black market industry. Anyways, the Star Wars villain's rather mischievous ways earned him total control of Tatooine and $8.4 billion.
15. Gordon Gekko -$8.5 Billion
The iconic 1987 film Wall Street gave us some major life lessons about the stock market - and Gordon Gekko was the man behind the plan. Gekko's main takeaway was that no amount of money would ever be enough and basically that "greed is good," which is probably how he earned his billions.
Although he did get caught at one point for insider trading and a little fraud, Gekko didn't let a little jail time detour him from making his billions. Being the founder of Gekko & Co., the criminal mastermind made his shady income through financial investments and large corporate takeovers.
14. Bruce Wayne - $9.2 Billion
In addition to being one of the greatest superheroes of all time, Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, is also one of the wealthiest bachelors of all time. The superhero spent his days tirelessly fighting for the good people of Gotham City, even though it wasn't always the easiest job.
The superhero was born into his highly coveted fortune and eventually inherited Wayne Enterprises, which was passed down to him after his parents passed away. So what does a superhero do with billionaires of dollars? Naturally, he invested in the 'Wayne Manor,' expensive gadgets, and the ultimate Batmobile.
13. Jed Clampett - $9.2 Billion
So how did Jed Clampett make his massive fortune? Well, it looks a little different from the other characters on this list. The Beverly Hillbillies star simply woke up rich and credited his insane fortune to a simple string of good luck. Now that is some really good luck!
Jed Clampett became the world's richest fictional hillbilly after discovering he had been living on a massive oil-rich property. After embarking on a usual hunting exploration, Jed realized he was now worth a whopping $9.2 billion, according to money inc.
12. Lex Luthor - $10.1 Billion
How can someone go against Superman without having billions in the bank? Lex Luthor, the supervillain of all supervillains, had a strong feeling he would be the man in charge of taking down the one and only Superman - but he didn't have any superpowers. He had plenty of cash, though…
Although we are not exactly sure how he made his billions, we do know he is a genius self-made billionaire that coined the phrase, "there's nothing money can't buy." Well, that is probably true when his bank account holds $10.1 billion dollars in it!
11. Charles Foster Kane - $11.2 Billion
This billionaire didn't grow up like the rest of them. Charles Foster Kane grew up with no money to his name, but his family hit gold through mining, and their name turned into the biggest media empire in the world. The Kane Empire owned over 37 newspapers, 13 magazines, and a radio network.
The Kanes made more than a name for themselves through media. The family developed grocery stores, paper mills, apartments, factories, forests, and more, in addition to their newspaper becoming a total hit. Citizen Kane used his inheritance to push yellow journalism after obtaining The New York Inquirer.
10. Tony Stark - $12.4 Billion
Being the first-ever Avenger must make billions, right? Well, Iron Man's Tony Stark was an undercover billionaire, similar to Bruce Wayne, who inherited his father's business, Stark Industries, worth a casual $20.3 bullion. Stark was an absolute genius and did also earn two master's degrees at 19. Same…
The superhero was a great philanthropist and often donated his money to charity, so he was more than just the average billionaire. Stark helped develop the iconic Iron Man suit and intricate gadgets to help take down his number one enemy, the Iron Monger.
9. Mom - $15.7 Billion
Mom from Futurama, or Carol Miller, is one of the wealthiest cartoon characters out there. We may not always think of her as dripping in billions, but she is the evil chief executive officer and shareholder of 99.7% of MomCorp. So naturally, she's worth over $15 billion.
MomCorp became of the biggest industrial conglomerates in the entire universe and eventually the power source of almost all of Earth's robots. Mom's conniving and tactful ways brought her all the way to the top and eventually gave her the high position to run the universe.
8. Ming The Merciless - $21 Billion
The Emperor of Mongo secured his very own planet and eventually his high net worth through the "interplanetary slave trade." Casual. The extraterrestrial ruler, also known as Ming or Emperor Ming, used his supernatural power and wealth to prevent his planet, Mongo, from colliding with Earth.
The Flash Gordon villain and his daughter, Princess Aura, spent their billions on fancy gadgets, rocket ships, robots, and more. But eventually, their powerful reign was defeated by Flash Gordon and Dale Arden. However, their incessant wealth and praise came from giving the people of Mongo clean water.
7. Oliver 'Daddy' Warbucks - $36.2 Billion
With a last name like Warbucks, it's almost criminal not to have a lot of bucks in the bank! Good thing for Oliver 'Daddy' Warbucks - he had nothing to worry about after making his income from being a defense contractor. He later traded in "harsh businessman" for the loving dad role to orphan Annie.
However, the Annie star didn't stop working after adopting his sweet daughter! Daddy Warbucks did donate a lot of his billions to charity, but he maintained a relationship with the government supplying weaponry. We can't even imagine how much, considering America has one of the largest militaries in the world!
6. Carlisle Cullen - $46 Billion
This next one does check out, considering he has been alive for over 340 years! Carlisle Cullen, the vampire, made some outstanding investments back in 1670 and eventually became a successful doctor in the present day. So, basically, during his couple centuries of being alive he lived in luxury.
The Cullens' lifestyle is pretty different from the typical family, seeing as they are vampires. Their daily essentials look a tad different, and so do their costs. The Twilight family saves money on human basics, such as food, water, and medical bills - but they make up for it with luxury cars, houses, and other flashy finds.
5. Santa Claus - $51 Billion
With one of the most important jobs in the world, it only checks out that Santa Claus is worth over $50 billion. Being the center of all things, Christmas must be stressful, but Santa makes it look pretty easy. He does have a factory with 5,000 elves making toys for 1.9 billion kids across the world - so maybe that explains it...
With all those billions, Mr. Claus certainly knows how to spend them! From investing in a rocket-powered candy cane scooter to riding in a sleigh powered by nine magical flying reindeer that takes him all around the world in one night, he knows what he's doing.
4. Flintheart Glomgold - $52 Billion
As the 2nd wealthiest duck in the whole world, the Scottish duck makes some pretty questionable decisions sometimes! The very rich fictional character earned his billions from diamond mining in South Africa - but although he loves all things gold, his actions can be pretty shady.
The DuckTales villain struck gold after winning a bet against Scrooge McDuck. The wealthy Scottish duck was infamously known for breaking the rules in order to come out on top and let nothing get in his way, no matter the circumstances, which probably contributed to his hefty bank account.
3. Smaug the Dragon - $54.1 Billion
Coming in at number three on Forbes' rich list is The Lord Of The Rings villain, Smaug the Dragon. There sure are a few villains on this list! After taking over the town of Dale and conquering the dwarves' lonely mountain, the villain forced King Thror and his people to leave, gaining him a whole array of treasures.
His whole life, Smaug has watched over the gold. But as a dragon, there is only so much he can do with it. The wealthy dragon mostly just sleeps right on top of it, seeing that his main priority and attraction to the gold is simply just to have ownership over it.
2. Scrooge McDuck - $65.4 Billion
The Disney cartoon character keeps his loads of cash in the form of gold coins and even still has the first dime he ever made kept nice and safe! The humble yet very wealthy bird is originally from the U.S. and moved to Glasglow, where he found a golden rock that turned him into the billionaire he is today.
Though he is a wealthy billionaire today, McDuck worked as a shoe polisher in Glasglow "as a wee nipper" before becoming one of the most influential mining owners in the land. The bird spends money quite carefully and strategically, resulting in a money bin that towers over the City of Duckberg.
1. T'Challa - $90.7 Trillion
Holding the keys to the world's entire reserve of vibranium comes at no cheap cost, which could explain the King of Wakanda taking home the number one spot on our list. T'Challa reigns over Wakanda, a kingdom separated from the world, and has the enormous responsibility to rule the land.
The Black Panther guru made his trillions after controlling over 10,000 tons of vibranum, which is the world's "rarest metal" - coming in at a hot $10,000 per gram. After scoring the motherload of metals, he used his fortune on high-tech uniforms that allowed him to walk over water and defend himself against kinetic-based attacks.