Jon Favreau — Built the MCU Foundation

Favreau went from Swingers (1996) to directing Iron Man (2008) — the film that launched the $30 billion Marvel Cinematic Universe. He cast Robert Downey Jr. when every studio said no, insisted on practical effects mixed with CGI, and built the improvisational tone that defined the MCU for 15 years. Iron Man grossed $585 million. He then directed The Jungle Book ($966 million) and The Lion King ($1.66 billion) using virtual production technology he helped pioneer. He created The Mandalorian for Disney+. The guy from Swingers built the foundation for the most successful franchise in cinema history.