Lilly Wachowski Net Worth

What is Lilly Wachowski's Net Worth and Salary?

Lilly Wachowski, formerly known as Andy Wachowski, is an American film director, writer, and producer. Lilly Wachowski has a net worth of $100 million. She earned the vast majority of her fortune thanks to the Matrix film/DVD, and video game empire.

Lilly Wachowski, one-half of the renowned Wachowski siblings, has carved a significant niche in the global film industry with a series of groundbreaking works that have pushed boundaries and sparked discussions around numerous sociocultural issues. Born to a family of creative minds, Lilly's foray into the cinematic world seemed like a natural progression, and together with her sister Lana Wachowski, she has produced works that have left indelible marks on Hollywood.

The Wachowskis' ventures into the world of filmmaking initially involved writing and directing low-budget films, but it was their second directorial endeavor, "The Matrix" (1999), that catapulted Lilly and Lana into international acclaim. The film, celebrated for its innovative visual effects and deeply philosophical narrative, engendered a major franchise that brought novel concepts and storytelling techniques into the mainstream. "The Matrix" was not merely a film; it evolved into a cultural phenomenon, influencing an array of domains, including fashion, philosophy, and technology, while reshaping cinematic expectations around science fiction.

Post "The Matrix", the Wachowski sisters ventured into various projects, embodying an eclectic mix of genres and thematic explorations. "Cloud Atlas" (2012) was a particular standout, demonstrating their ability to weave multiple narratives across time and space into a cohesive, impactful film. Their work notably features undercurrents of sociopolitical commentary, grappling with themes of identity, reality, and resistance, often challenging their audience to reflect upon and critique the status quo.

The duo's work extended into the television sphere with "Sense8", a Netflix series that further showcased their affinity for rich, interconnected storylines and a profound exploration of identity, particularly regarding gender and sexuality. Not just content creators, Lilly and Lana Wachowski are also known for their own personal journeys, both coming out as transgender women and becoming vocal advocates for transgender rights.

Early Life

Andrew Paul "Andy" Wachowski was born on December 29, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois. Mother Lynne was a nurse, and father Ron Wachowski was a businessman of Polish descent. Andy graduated from Whitney Young High School, which is known for its performing arts and science curriculum. In high school, Andy starred in the school's theater and TV program. He attended Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. Andy quit before graduating and joined his brother in a carpentry business in Chicago. On the side, they also created comic books and wrote screenplays.

Film Career

In 1995, the Sylvester Stallone movie "Assassins" was produced based on their screenplay. In 1996, they made their directorial debut with the movie "Bound", which was also based on their screenplay.

Other Wachowski film projects include 2005's "V for Vendetta", 2007's "The Invasion", 2008's "Speed Racer", 2012's "Cloud Atlas", and 2015's "Jupiter Ascending".

They also created the Netflix series "Sense8," which ran between 2015 and 2018.

The Matrix

In 1999, The Matrix was released. Written, directed, and produced by the Wachowskis, the movie earned more than $465 million at the global box office. The DVD release would eventually earn over $350 million.

In 2003, two sequels were released within several months of each other. The sequels earned over $1 billion at the global box office.

In December 2021, a fourth film installment was released in theaters and on HBO Max titled "The Matrix Resurrections." Lilly was not directly involved in the production of the film. She would later explain that at the time Lana began blocking out the script and production plans for the movie, Lilly had just recently completed transitioning and several 100+ film days related to other projects.

The Matrix Earnings

According to court filings made in the early 2000s, Lana/Larry's then-wife, Thea Bloom, revealed that even before box office revenues, the Wachowskis were paid a total of $16 million for "Reloaded" and "Revolutions." That $16 million was allotted as:

• $5 million for two scripts,
• $4.4 million for preproduction services
• $6.6 million disbursed during production based on various delivery and budget milestones.

They both subsequently earned $550,000 when "Reloaded" was completed and another $550,000 when "Revolutions" was completed. Then they also each received $2.75 million advances for their work connected to the video game.

Total it all up, and they earned a combined $23.7 million for their work on the two Matrix sequels before box office participation. For the two sequels, both Wachowski earned a 4% cut of the GROSS receipts. The second film earned $749 million at the box office, implying an additional payday of $75 million per Wachowski. The third movie earned $427 million, implying an additional $42 million payday per Wachowski. That's $117 million total, per Wachowski. If these estimates are accurate, each Wachowski earned $128.85 million from the two Matrix sequels (and a video game advance) before DVD sales.

The first Matrix movie was the first DVD to sell more than 1 million copies. It eventually sold 15 million units globally, generating more than $300 million in revenue. The second film sold 7 million DVDs and the third sold 5 million, generating an additional combined $250 million in revenue. The Wachowskis earned a cut of these gross revenue sales as well.

(Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Personal Life

Andy Wachowski married Alisa Blasingame in 1991. It's unclear when that relationship ended, but in 2016, Andy confirmed publicly for the first time that he had a boyfriend named Mickey Ray Mahoney and that SHE was now living as a woman who would be referred to as Lilly Wachowski.

She was actually following in her brother Larry's footsteps. Larry completed transitioning in 2008. From that point on, she has been known as Lana Wachowski.

Real Estate

In November 2000, then-Andy paid $1.212 million for a home along the famous canals of Venice, California. This home was sold in 2011 for $1.85 million.

In Chicago, the siblings co-own a 20,000+ square foot production facility called the Kinoworks. They bought the facility in 2007 and used it for preproduction, postproduction, and an effects studio for their various projects. They invested a combined $7 million into the building. They listed the property for sale in 2018 for $5 million but did not end up selling. They have since closed the offices but remain the owners.

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