The Richest Fictional Characters of All Time, Ranked
Fiction doesn’t play by real-world rules, especially when it comes to money. Some characters rake in billions through magic or just really lucky investments. They’re not bound by tax codes or market crashes, and they rarely explain how any of it works. These fictional fortunes are massive, mostly exaggerated, but still fun to compare. Here are some of the wealthiest characters ever imagined, broken down with facts and a sense of humor.
Mr. Burns, Power Plant Owner
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Montgomery Burns usually sits around the billion-dollar mark, with some lists pinning him at about $1.3 billion. His fortune comes from the nuclear plant and a suspicious patchwork of investments. His net worth jumps around depending on the episode, but no matter the fluctuation, he stays comfortably in the billionaire club.
Willy Wonka, Candy Tycoon
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Willy Wonka’s chaotic factory churns out a wildly profitable candy empire. Estimates place his fortune at around $8.4 billion, which feels about right for a man who can invent Everlasting Gobstoppers on a Tuesday. His operation relies on strange tech and a workforce of Oompa Loompas who never seem to take days off.
Jabba the Hutt, Galactic Boss
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Jabba built his fortune by running smuggling routes, slave trades, and shady deals across the galaxy. As a mob boss on Tatooine, he lived in a fortress, surrounded by bounty hunters and strange pets. His empire’s worth is about $9 billion, most of it earned through shady deals.
Richie Rich, Child With a Fortune
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At around $11.5 billion, Richie Rich remains the world’s most pampered billionaire kid. His estate includes a private zoo, space program, robot assistant, and more extravagances. Despite the excess, Richie is usually portrayed as surprisingly level-headed for someone who literally has a money vault bigger than his house.
Forrest Gump, Accidental Billionaire
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Forrest never made a habit of bragging, but his Apple investment still turned into an eye-watering sum, at around $27 billion. True to character, Forrest didn’t change much after the windfall. He just kept mowing lawns and running through life one mile at a time.
Carlisle Cullen, Long-Term Investor
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Living for hundreds of years has financial perks. Carlisle Cullen, the centuries-old vampire from Twilight, has grown his wealth through patient investing. By one count, he’s sitting on $34 billion, which makes him one of fiction’s most understated billionaires, assuming you don’t count the immortality and super-speed.
Smaug, Hoarder of Gold
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Smaug seized the Lonely Mountain and claimed its vast treasure after destroying the dwarf kingdom of Erebor. According to Tolkien’s descriptions, he sleeps on a literal sea of gold, silver, jewels, and one very famous gem: the Arkenstone. Estimates value the hoard at around $54 billion, which he guards with paranoia.
Tony Stark, Weapons Engineer Turned Avenger
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Stark Industries made billions in defense contracts, but Tony’s personal fortune also came from tech patents and wildly expensive toys. His Iron Man suits alone cost billions to develop. His estimated net worth often lands above $80 billion, depending on which comic or film version you’re looking at.
Lex Luthor, Corporate Mogul and Menace
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LexCorp owns tech, real estate, biotech firms, and a worrying number of weapons patents. While trying to destroy Superman, Luthor also found time to build an empire estimated to be worth over $80 billion. He’s often portrayed as a more evil version of a real-world billionaire CEO.
T’Challa, King of Wakanda
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T’Challa controls the world’s only supply of Vibranium, a rare metal worth an estimated $10,000 per gram. With 10,000 tons under Wakanda’s soil, his country’s wealth easily reaches trillions. His personal share reportedly lands somewhere near $500 billion.